Ichigo's Pain
by DarkVampire111
Summary: After some terrible turns Ichigo has been struggling to get by. At her lowest moment, her old enemy returns to her life, but this time on different terms. Kisshu has returned to earth, further confusing her world. That is just the start of her problems when a new danger arrives, one that might end both their lives. They now have an enemy that seeks to destroy them both.
1. Chapter 1

**_Ichigo's Pain and Kisshu's return_**

_Ichigo Momoiya walked slowly down the street. Her red hair had fallen into her face and eyes but she did not bother to brush it back at all. The breeze blowing moved it around enough that she could see without having to brush it away. These days her hair was a bit longer because she had not had it cut in some time. The slight wind tugged at her clothes and her shoes scuffed the ground as she walked. She stared straight ahead, vacant eyes still red from tears. She had just been to visit the cherry tree where Aoyama-kun first saw her in her Mew Ichigo form. The tree blossomed so perfectly this year, it was so beautiful. She had gone there several times this week. It was strange and painful going without him but she could not seem to stay away. Each time she expected to see him waiting for her there, but he never was. A few times she thought she saw him there but it always turned out to be someone else. When she saw someone with his hair or a jacket like his her heart stopped. Her body would freeze as she held her breath, wishing with all her heart that it might just be Masaya. Each time it was someone else it cut into her heart just a little bit more. She knew in her mind that it could never be him, but her heart was a different story._

_It was turning dark out now. . . She had stayed there longer than usual. Her parents would be unhappy with her but they would not scold her for it. They were terribly careful with her these days, treating her like a delicate doll. At first her mother tried to get her to talk about it but talking to her mother only made it worse. It was not as if she could actually tell her mother the truth, so she had to tap dance around the truth or just lie. . . which did not make her feel better about anything. After some time her parents let her keep silent and none of them ever brought up the topic. Of course it did not matter because it hung in the air like a huge dark cloud. Ignoring it did not make it go away it just made things feel strange. Not that anything could ever feel normal again anyway._

_These days she spent a lot of time alone. It was too hard to be around anyone. They always smiled but their eyes were different when they looked at her. At first they tried to help her through it but when they could not get her over it they started avoiding the issue when they talked to her. Acting like it did not happen was useless though since it still existed, just like it did when she was with her parents. It was all she could think about and everyone knew it. Being with people was just so awkward for her and for them, it was easier to stay away from people. Her friends at school were easier to stay away from than everyone at Cafe Mew Mew. However, eventually even they allowed her to have her space. Thankfully there had not been any attacks recently that she needed to be there to stop. Even Shirogane had not insisted she come to work for some time, several weeks. Ichigo had a feeling Ryou and Zakuro were the reason no one was pushing her. At least Zakuro seemed to have noticed her need to be alone._

_In her alone time Ichigo did a lot of thinking. She went to the places she and Aoyama-kun used to go, wretchedly painful though it was. Ichigo could not seem to keep herself away from those places. Most days she was in those memories or she was in her room. All she could think of was why: why did it have to be like this, why had it ended this way? After the fight with Deep Blue had ended everything had seemed perfect but it was just a false sense of peace. Everything after that was supposed to work out forever! They deserved a happy ending, didn't they? Didn't saving the world count toward getting a perfect life? Guess not._

_"Ichigo, you're home!" Sakura Momoiya chimed as she walked into the house. Her mother was smiling but her eyes were worried and sad, kinda like always._

_"Yes, I'm home." Ichigo said as she walked slowly past, not looking up from the floor. _

_Facing her mother was so hard anymore. The again, facing anyone was hard these days, too hard. Not being able to talk to anyone made it impossible to stay around them for very long. No one understood. They thought they understood but they had no idea how she felt, none. They were kind and considerate to her face, but secretly she knew they thought she should just get over it. They knew she had to grieve but they thought she should be past it by now. Deep down they were all just thinking she needed to move on with her life. She was young, they said, and had her whole life ahead of her. It had been six months since it happened so everyone had begun to think she should be recovering. Everyone was tolerant of her depression but they also weren't. Everyone, including her friends, expected her to suddenly snap out of it and be the cheery, hyper, fun girl she used to be. They didn't understand that she could not just move on, how could she? Just moving on with her life and getting over it was beyond her capability. . . She couldn't, not with everything involved in this._

_"Don't you think you should eat some dinner?" Her mother prompted gently, seemed afraid to say anything, but feeling she had to._

_"I stopped at the Cafe and had something, so I'm fine." Ichigo looked away so her mother would not notice she lied as easily. _

_Honestly, why was it that when you were depressed everyone tried to get you to eat something? Was that supposed to fix everything? She did not think so, somehow. Ichigo did not feel like eating, it did not matter how many times people asked her to 'eat something.' People just could not understand that even the simple things in day to day life were hard for her to manage. Things like interacting with people, getting up in the morning, or even eating took more effort than she could put forth anymore. Even little things were too much for her to deal with._

_She shuffled the rest of the way to her room and went inside, the blessed sound of it closing the only peace she ever felt. With the door safely closed behind her she could drop what little expression of happiness she had managed to put up. Just barely, she made it to her bed before crumpling into a heap. Her head had not fallen on the pillow but she did not have the strength to move her head the short distance required so she just ignored the problem. That was another thing that had died in her, the ability to care._

_It was hard to believe it had been a year and six months since they put an end to the constant battles with the aliens. She was sixteen now, so strange. All of that still seemed so hard to believe. There were times she forgot it was not over. Some mornings she woke up thinking Kisshu, Pai, and Taruto would show up with a Chimara Anima for them to battle. It was not hard to believe the battles were still going on since she still had her powers. They still had to face some of the leftover Chimara and the occasional attack for the Crusaders, but nothing like it had been with the aliens... or Deep Blue. Supposedly, her powers were supposed to go away after they all defeated the aliens. . . Their powers did go away, but came back soon after._

* * *

_Kisshu's bright golden eyes gazed over Tokyo, totally unobserved from his vantage point. The cool breeze toyed with his dark green hair as he sat quietly, the maroon bands in his hair rubbed against the side of his face. His handsome face was luminous in the light of the moon. Tokyo looked so different now than it had the first time he came here. The last battle really had changed the face of this place. There were a great deal more trees and vegetation than there had been when he set eyes on earth that first time. Humans still had their ways of doing things, but it did look better. It looked more like the earth should look. Not perfect, but better. He was glad that some things had changed for the better because of he and the others. _

_He did not hate the humans anymore though. They really were not all bad like he used to think. When he first came here he wanted them all to die but Ichigo changed his thinking. Until he had been around her, he looked at humans as nothing more than insects. Pai and Taruto used to see things that way too. It was interesting what one group of girls had done to change three guys set to destroy a planet. A bunch of miss fit girls changed the fate of two planets. Half human girls at that. He chuckled lightly to himself, shaking his head a little. Even now, the thought was amazing. Life was really so strange._

_"Mmmm. . . Ichigo, I have missed you." He whispered to the air._

_Even as busy as he and the others were, working on their planet all this time, there had not been a day he did not think of her. Honestly he tried to forget her, tried with everything in him. He really did want her to be happy, he did. He forced himself to stay away for all this time. Being as busy as he was made it easier, but not enough. Kisshu had finally reached his limit. There was a lull in things at home and he would not be missed for the time being. He just had to see her even if it was only one time. It would be alright if he watched from a distance, he used to do that a lot. Just once though. . . he would have to say hello. It's not as if he planned to do anything to her or try to take her away from Aoyama. She loved that guy so there was nothing he could do. It stung to even think about, but he was older and wiser, he hoped. With everything that happened he understood a lot more about the heart. He would never try to force her to love him again. All he wanted was to see her and talk to her one time. It might help him to finally be free from her, maybe he could move on after this. That girl bewitched him in a way he still could not understand._

_For now, he had traveled millions of miles to see her. It was pitiful how great her hold over him was but he could not deny its existence. His love for her was just as strong as it had been at the start, maybe stronger. The longer he had known her the greater his love of her had grown. Even if it was just this once, he really needed to see her again._

* * *

_Ichigo stared out the window at the full moon. It was pretty against the dark sky. No stars were out tonight so it just made the moon that much more striking. She toyed with tip of the sheet as her mind worked over all her problems. What was she supposed to do? It was not as if she did not realize she could not continue being this way forever. It really was not as if she liked the person she was now. Eventually she did have to change, had to keep living her life, but she did not know how. After the time had passed, she was not over it, but she had realized that something had to change. Being this way forever was not even living._

_The trouble was, what was she supposed to do about it? Knowing and doing were different things entirely. How could she change? How could she keep living without Aoyama-kun? How could she go on now that he would not be with her? Not only how, but would she keep living? That was another part of the question. Was she going to die eventually? Might she soon find herself dead? Would she suddenly just die the way. . . Ichigo blinked hard. That was not a question she could voice to anyone. There was no way she could tell anyone, most of all not anyone at the Cafe._

_Ichigo curled up on her bed, brown eyes tightly closed, tears streaming down her face. Her chest was tight and it hurt, not that it was an unfamiliar feeling. Masaya promised! He promised he would never leave her again! So why? She did not want to cry anymore today but the tears seemed determined to come. Already, she had cried too much for one day. People made comments about how she could not cry forever. Did they all think she liked to cry herself to sleep every night? Did they really think she did not try to stop? Did they think she asked for any of this?_

* * *

_There it was, Ichigo's house. The alien hovered high over the house, big golden eyes drilling it. With the moon behind him, he cast a slight shadow over the surfact of the ground. He watched her at home from a distance many times while they were enemies. It seemed like that time day been a hundred years ago rather than just a year and a half. The house still looked the same from what he could see. He knew where her room was since he chased her from there once. He tilted his body forward as he thought over his options._

_His eyes traveled to her bedroom window thoughtfully. It was late but he did not intend to stay very long. She would not let him stay long anyway, he knew her well enough to know that. He would be lucky if she let him stay more than a minute. At the very least, he hopped she let him stay long enough to talk a little bit. Kisshu's heart was already beating faster and faster as he thought about seeing her again after so long. His head was even starting to spin. It was silly, but he felt like a little kid about to go on a first date. Kisshu could hardly catch his breath. When it came to that girl he might as well have been a kid with a crush. Nothing he did was rational when it had to do with her. Ichigo turned his mind into clay and she could manipulate it any way she wished._

_"Ok, it's now or never." Kisshu sighed and swallowed hard to push back his growing anxiety._

* * *

_Ichigo had finally managed to stop crying for the hundredth time today. She adjusted the tank-top strap of her nightgown her mother got for her. Interestingly enough, the nightgown was pink with the face of a cute black cat on the front. Ichigo found it a bit ironic but obviously never said so. There were days she had to wonder about how much her mother really knew, but other times she was fully sure she was clueless. Her eyes felt heavy and tired after crying, not a feeling she enjoyed. She swiped at the remaining tears left on her cheeks roughly, angry with herself. This was incredible! Who knew one person had so many tears in them? Eventually, after crying every night for months, shouldn't the tears have run dry by now? How could one person even have that many tears? It had to be impossible. But wasn't everything that happened to her supposed to be impossible? She was not supposed to have super powers or have saved the world at fifteen. She was not supposed to have been able to stop Deep Blue, someone they said had the powers of a god. . . but she had. . . in a way._

_"Yo, Koneko-chan!" A cheery male voice broke into her thoughts._

_That voice! It was just like the first time she met. . ._

_Ichigo's head swiveled toward the voice, eyes widening when she saw him floating in the center of her room. "Kisshu!"_

_"Correcto!" He chimed with that classic grin of his, sly, cunning, and playful, plastered on his face._

_"Kisshu?" She shook her head in confusion, "But. . . why? When?" She slid to her feet without yet believing what she was seeing._

_He chuckled in the baritone of his, crossing his arms over his chest, "To say hello to you, of course! Just got here tonight."_

_All she could do now was stare at him in total dismay, her mind working to believe it. He looked the same, but different in some ways._

_Kisshu_ _glided toward her and chuckled again, "How ya been, Koneko-chan?" The smile on his face was real and happy, eyes twinkly with pleasure._

_What came over her, she had no idea, but before she knew what she had done her arms were circled around his waist. "Oh, Kisshu!" His arms jerked away from his chest to accommodate her sudden motion, but he did not return the hug._

_A partial smile hinted at the corners of her mouth. She was not quite sure if she believed this was real but she hoped so. For some reason she was incredibly happy to see him - At least, it was as close to happiness as she had been in a while. The minute she saw him and heard his voice again all she could think of was hugging him, being close to him to ensure he was real. Ichigo wanted to hug him and she wanted him to hug her back. She wanted him to hug her, see his smile, and hear his voice. Until this moment she did not r_ealize _that she really wanted to see him, but she supposed she did. Enemy or not, he was always around when she needed him. It was comforting, in an odd way. It gave life a normal feeling again._

_Seeing him was like seeing a memory from better days. He was a bit of a ghost from a far better time, a time when the world seemed so much more clear. Back then, she knew what life would bring her, at least more than she did now. Back then she could smile and even laugh - Then, she believed things would always work out eventually. His being here was almost like remembering that former life._

_The typical cocky, ruler of the world, look he normally had on was replaced by one of confusion. "Ichigo?" It sounded he was in a more shocked condition than she. _

_Carefully, he rested his hands on her bare shoulders, stroking them gently. When she said nothing and did not look at him, he cupped her chin in his hand, lifting it to gaze into her face. Kisshu's big golden eyes stared long into hers, searching them carefully. His brow wrinkled, confusion and worry in his golden eyes, "Ichigo, you feeling alright?"_

_His arrival brought the tears back to the surface but his probing eyes finished her. This was the last thing she wanted to show him but here she was again, crying. The tears slowly spilled out of the corners of her eyes as he stared at her. She turned her head away sharply even though she knew he saw them. Still, she could not keep looking directly at him. Ichigo bit into her lower lip hard enough to taste a sudden bit of blood. She held her breath to keep back a sudden sob that formed a lump in her throat._

_"What's wrong? What happened? Why are you crying, Ichigo?" Kisshu slipped his arms around her, tugging her closer._

_"No, please. . . don't ask me those questions! I don't want to answer those questions, alright?" She leaned her head against his chest and closed her tired, teary eyes. "Just. . . please stay with me like this for a while? I shouldn't ask you to. . ." Ichigo bit into her lip again. "But please, don't leave me for a while?" She looked into those baffled, worry filled golden orbs, "Will you hold me for just a little while? Please, Kish?"_

_Nothing happened for a minute. Ev_en_ the numbers on the clock must have stopped moving as he stared at her, processing her words. She began to wonder what he would do, if anything. But finally, he moved forward, seeming to have decided, directing her to the bed and easing her onto it. He laid her back carefully, hovering over her._ _He stared down at her, never once having broken eye contact, expression unreadable. It was almost frightening not to see his usual smile, to see him so serious. He was no longer smiling but he was not completely frowning either. She guessed her words must have been a shock since she never would have said them in the past. She knew she should not have spoken them now but it was too late._

_It seemed like he was hovering over h_e_r for a terribly long amount of time, like he would never move again. It occurred to her that she might have gotten in over her head already. She wondered if he got the wrong impression from what she said, but even if he did, she was not sure she had the strength to oppose that right now. If he was thinking of doing something like that she really did not think she had it in her to resist. The moment his eyes locked with hers and her head hit the pillow she lost all her strength. Her will had been broken, so she would be easy for him now if he decided to try anything. Her body, emotions, and mind were much too drained to be useful to her. Right now, all she was able to do was feel the tears trickle down her face._

_He climbed over her and eased down next to her on the bed. What was left of the tension in her small body left when she felt him settle in beside her. Gently, Kisshu brushed away the tear stains from her face before his finely toned arms pulled her to him. Her moist cheeks brushed the smooth skin of his arms as her head came to rest beside his chest. She had nearly forgotten how strong he was. His chest felt firm but not unpleasantly so. By now all the old warning bells would have been going off in her head but she not longer cared enough to hear them. She let him cradle her motionless body in his arms. Her eyes fluttered shut as he tucked her head neatly beneath his chin. Over this years time she had grown a bit but it seemed he had as well. It was interesting that he still managed to be able to look down at her, floating in the air or not._

_"All right, Ichigo, I won't ask you to explain. I won't force you to tell me anything if you don't want to. We can just stay like this." He whispered in her ear._

_The sob forming the lump in her throat finally broke free, followed by several others. She slipped an arm loosely around him and buried her face in his chest. Glad, she was glad he was here with her. Tonight, it felt like she could not hold out anymore. What she would have done if he had not come, she did not know. She wished she had been strong enough to give him a nicer welcome but somehow this was all she could manage to do. Most of the time she could hold herself together during the day, but at night she always fell to pieces. He always had been a little too good at finding her when she was weak._

T_his was the last thing she should have requested of him, especially since he had only come in a moment before she fell apart, but that did not change anything. No matter what she wanted to do, this was all she could do._

_It did feel good to be in his arms though, she could not deny that. It felt good to have someone to hold her and be with her after so long. It felt good not to be alone this time, not to have only eroding agony as her company. To let someone near her after having spent so much time pushing them all away, it felt good to be near someone again._

* * *

_The sound of her cries made him retch inside, heart twisting in his chest. There had been a lot of ways he pictured her reacting when she saw him but he was not expecting this. He never expected to see her this way. Ichigo had always been such a stubborn mess of independence, determination, and courage. It had always frustrated him, but now it worried him to see it gone. She had been crying before he came, he could tell. Her eyes and slightly flushed cheeks and nose told him that much. Kisshu circled her more tightly in his arms and pulled her flush against him. All he could do for her was hold her. He pressed his cheek to her forehead, his lips brushed her skin lightly. Right now, he was helpless to ease her suffering, helpless to relieve her pain. Whatever it was that hurt her this way, right now, all he could do to heal it was this._

_He had to admit though, being able to hold her like this was something he wanted to do for so long. This was the first time she had ever willingly let him hold her. He could not help noticing she had lost a bit of weight. Her body had always been small but it seemed even smaller now. It killed him to see her suffering but part of him could not have felt happier. This was exactly what he always wanted. She asked him to stay with her, let him hold her without a moments resistance, what he always wanted. He would enjoy holding her in his arms as long as it lasted. It would make having to let her go again that much harder later on but he did not need to think about that right now._

* * *

**AN: This is the first installment in my fic of Tokyo Mew Mew. I do not own TMM or the characters.**


	2. Kisshu's Return

_Ichigo's greyish brown eyes slowly, unwillingly, fluttered open. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw Kisshu's face next to hers but she did remember that he came to see her last night. She did remember that she asked him to stay with her. She had been crying last night until she fell asleep. She was sure it had not been a greeting he wanted to deal with, having to comfort her while she fell apart. She wondered if he might have been annoyed. If he was he was kind enough not to say it. Having him there was really comforting. He may not have had any idea why she was crying but it was fine that way. Just having someone who knew nothing about it was a nice change. Since he did not know he did not look at her with the same look in his eyes everyone else did. It was nice not to have that horrible discomfort floating in the air with every word, the way it was with everyone in her life now._

_In the past she never would have thought Kisshu would be the one she felt most comfortable crying with, nor would she have thought having him with her would be as comforting as it was. Who could ever guess that one she had looked on as an enemy could ever be the one she would run to. If anyone had told her a few years ago that she would even ask him, plead with him to stay with her... well, she would have called them crazy. It was a little crazy if you put some thought into it.  
There was one long arm draped over her waist and the other arm was resting soundly under her head. This was just about the way they had been last night. His embrace was nice, it felt good, comfortable to be in. That must have been the reason she seemed to have moved almost not at all in her sleep. It was morning now so he had to have stayed with her all night. He must have fallen asleep at some point and never ended up leaving. Waking up to this should have at least worried her, but it did not._

_His eyes were closed. His pale, lily white skin nearly glowed in the mornings light. His face looked so soft she was tempted to touch it for a second. The light glistened off his hair and created a little green tinted halo around his head. Ichigo could not help but smile. For once, and likely only once, he really looked terribly angelic. A little alien angel. She gingerly moved a few strands of hair off of his eyes. This would have made a cute picture if she could have reached her cell phone._

_Still, she knew he would cease to be an angel when he woke up, so she should get up before him. Strangely, part of her did not want to get up but she ignored that feeling. She carefully took a hold of his arm and eased it off her. Ichigo gingerly put his hand down and then she eased back. She did her best to move slowly and as gently as possible to avoid waking him up. Until she wanted to be silent she never realized how much the bed springs creaked. She held her breath, wincing at every groan the bed made, and inched toward the end of the bed. Her toes found the end of the bed. Almost there!_

_Her heart jumped out of her chest as Kisshu's arms wrapped around her, instantly jerking her back to him. "Morning, honey!"_

_"Kisshu? Y-you're awake?" She drew back as far as his grip on her allowed - His face was so close._

_"Yep! I woke up a little before you but it was so peaceful I decided not to get up." He chuckled, eyes twinkling with a successful capture._

_She glared at him, that smug smile making her want to hit him, "You mean you were awake all this time? You let me go to all the trouble of trying not to wake you up when you weren't even asleep?"_

_He let out a laugh, more than pleased with himself, "Watching you was too amusing to tip you off, Koneko-chan!"_

_Ichigo twisted free enough to hit his arm, "You nearly scared me to death, you jerk!" She rather hoped he had been asleep for some of the time at least. "Anyway, you can let go now that you had your fun and almost scared me to death."_

_He locked eyes with her, "I can?" Kisshu's smile widened, eye glinting seductively as he pulled her closer. "But what if I don't want to let go, Kitten?"_

_Her eyes widened a little in return, pulling back to gain her some room,"Kisshu, I have to get ready for school soon, quit teasing me. Let me go!"_

_"That is not what you said last night! You were all over me, Koneko-chan." He hummed suggestively, like a purr._

_"You are the most. . ." Ichigo glared, already seeing the angelic bit of him she saw before fade away totally._

_"The most handsome guy ever?" Kisshu cooed, enjoying this more than he should._

_"No! Try the most arrogant and irritating!" Ichigo jerked back from him in a burst of motion, both hands planted on his chest to give her room._

_He did not move to capture her, reclining back instead, head lolled to one side, "Oh, come now, Ichigo!" He gave a low chuckled, "Too bad, you were so much more receptive before. Guess you don't remember. . ."_

_Ichigo's eyes widened as she sat back on her heels, "I don't remember what?"_

_A sly predatory smile crept slowly onto his face, revealing his fangs._

_Ichigo's heart jumped into her throat. "Kisshu!" She leaned over him, grabbing his shirt in her small fist, "You didn't get me pregnant, did you?"_

_His eyebrows arched playfully, though seeming surprised anyway, "Eh?"_

_"You didn't, right?" She was mentally, and frantically searching her memory for anything that might indicate truth in his implications._

_"Really, Ichigo? You still don't know how these things work?" Kisshu eyed her mysteriously, running a hand down her arm as he unlatched her fist from his shirt._

_"What do you mean? Can't you just give a clear answer?" He was worrying her, making her question what she might have let him do while she was sleeping - She could not have done something with him in a crazy sleep walking state, could she?_

_Kisshu leaned up, propping himself on his elbows to be closer, "See, Koneko-chan. . . Even if I. . ." He moved in just short of letting his lips connect with hers, ". . .were to kiss you deeply, maybe even tasting you with my tongue. . ."_

_Ichigo's cheeks suddenly burned but she refused to give in to his game._

_He moved forward swiftly, knocking her to the side, causing her to fall back onto the bed. "Or even if I were to. . ." His hovered over the top of her, fingers gliding up her arm slowly, "get even closer than this. . ."_

_"K-K-Kisshu! What are you-" She stammered, expression betraying her apprehension._

_He grinned slyly and tugged down at the neck of the nightgown with one finger. "Even if I were to touch these. . ."_

_Ichigo swiftly slapped his hand away and crossed her arms over her chest protectively, "If you don't stop I'll slap you! Nya!"_

_His eyes twinkled as he moved off her and sat next to her. "I'm trying to explain things to you, that's all." He reached down and gently slid his fingers along the fur of her tail._

_"Eh?" Her eyes widened at the sight of his fingers on her tail and she reached up and found her ears. "Eeeh! They came out?"_

_Kisshu ignored that, quickly feigned an innocent look, "My point is that none of these things can make you pregnant. The only way I could get you pregnant is if I were to-" _

_Ichigo lunged forward and slapped her hand over his mouth, making the back of his head hit the wall, __"Kisshu!" She hissed, "That's not what I meant!"_

_He reached up and pulled her hand away, smirking like a cat, "Calm down! I was only teasing you a little."_

_Ichigo glared, "What **I** meant was. . . the last thing I remember from last night is you..." She absently touched a strand of her red hair, "running your fingers through my hair. It was really relaxing and I don't remember anything else."_

_His expression softened instantly as he watched her, "You were an easy subject. All I did was stroke your head for a little while and you melted." He chuckled lightly, "Did you know you were purring?"_

_She glared again, not sure if he was still lying, "Kisshu! You. . ." Her eyes left him and drilled into the wall, "You didn't do anything, right?"_

_"Oh! You're asking if I took advantage of you while you were sleeping, right?" Kisshu stared at her without another word, expression blank._

_"You didn't, right?" She prodded._

_Silence._

_Ichigo locked eyes with him, leaning forward threateningly, "Kisshu!"_

_He stifled his laughter with a hand to him lips, nearly rolling around on the bed, that familiar old laugh he always had when he did something bad - He was no longer expressionless at least._

_Ichigo shook him, fist lacing into his shirt again, "Stop laughing and tell me right now! Nya!"_

_"If I tell you will you give me a kiss?" Kisshu smirked, stilling his chuckling._

_"No! You either tell me or I will start beating on you!" She raised a fist for an example._

_He sighed dramatically, "Fine. You are so cold hearted!" His tone softened a bit as he continued, "The answer is no. I did not do anything to you at all. The only thing I did was relax you so you could sleep and then I let you sleep in my arms."_

_Ichigo snatched up a pillow and hit him on the side of the head with it, "You could have said that to begin with!"_

_Kisshu let his body relax into the hit, falling over and stretching out on the bed as he ran her tail through his fingers again. "Can't I have just one kiss for being good?"_

_"As if!" She hissed, jerking her tail away._

_Kisshu grinned and reached up, taking her ear between his finger tips. He rubbed it gently with his claws, working up and down. Oh, no, not that! How did he know her weaknesses so well? Her eyes fluttered shut, not exactly willing, but enjoying it too much to fight it. His fingers worker expertly along her ear. Ichigo could not resist the purrs he elicited from her. She never felt anything so nice, it was better than a spa. He had the perfect technique, the perfect balance of combining his fingertip and his nails. There was only one explanation for this, he had to have a cat at home. After he had finished with that ear he moved to the next one. By now she must have been purring loudly, not that she was paying attention anymore. After he finished both ears, and only after, did she realize she was curled up in his arms._

_"Not even one kiss?" He smirked, down at her as she rested against his._

_Her body jerked upright again, "Ok, one kiss. . . but only on the cheek!"_

_He shrugged, "Alright, I guess I can live with that." He turned his cheek to her, tilting his head up for her._

_Ichigo cautiously pressed her lips to his cheek, and to her surprise he did not do anything. "I almost expected you to use the chance and steal a kiss anyway."_

_Kisshu grinned playfully, "The thought did cross my mind."_

_"You are such a pervert, Kisshu!" Ichigo jumped off the edge of the bed to her feet and her cat ears vanished._

_He linked his fingers behind his head as he sat up again. "Me? You're the one who was all over ME. I was a saint, resisting temptation, and not once taking advantage of your cute sleeping habits!"_

_Ichigo's cheeks flushed again but she did not look at him, "What are you talking about? I didn't do anything like-"_

_"You just don't remember." Kisshu's golden eyes twinkled to matched his sly smile. "It's true, you really were all over me, **literally**. You really like to cuddle up close while you sleep."_

_Her eyes widened, head snapping in his direction, "Eh? Really? No way! I didn't!"_

_"Mhmm! You did." He moved off the bed, blankets sliding around him as he moved, "Your sleeping habits are adorable, Koneko-chan!"_

_Ichigo grabbed her cloths out of the closet in an angry motion, "I am going to school!"_

_"Really? Shouldn't you put those away before you go?" Kisshu moved in close behind her._

_"Put what away?" She glanced back over her shoulder to find his face._

_One arm slipped around her waist to hold her in place while his over hand caught her tail, "These!"_

_"Ek! No!" She twisted free, twirling away from him. "They came out again?" She covered her ears with her hands._

_"Relax. It's not like I have not seen those before. . . but no one else is supposed to know about them, right?"_

_She took a few deep breaths and focused on making them go away. He was stressing her too much, making them come out. She just needed to calm down and it would be fine. It was good that he pointed them out to her before she went out the door. Her parents might have seen them if she had gone out. They had come out at school a few times but she managed to hide them back then. It was rather annoying the way they always came out when she was getting stressed like this. Normal girls did not have to deal with this._

_Thank goodness they were not being stubborn today, they went away quickly. Ichigo gathered her cloths in her arms and headed for the door. "I'm going now."_

_He hummed questioningly, "Koneko-chan, don't you still need to get dressed? I might not mind you walking around like that, but your teachers might."_

_"Like I would change while you are in my room! I'm going to change in the bathroom!" She paused at the door, casting a glance at him, "When are you leaving?"_

_"Not for a while." He drifted into the air again, "Why? You worried I'll leave without saying goodbye?" He cooed at her._

_She grabbed the doorknob, "Then, I will see you later?"_

_"Of course, Ichigo. Like I'd let you escape without seeing me again while I'm here!"_

_"Fine, just don't let anyone see you in here!" She kept her voice in her angry tone even if she was not angry now, "Don't let them see you leave either!" She opened the door and hurried out._

* * *

_Ichigo seemed a bit better today. He was glad, really glad. He had not quiet gotten her to smile but he came close. At least she did have a little life back in her eyes, unlike when he first saw her. After he teased her a bit she seemed more like herself again. Kisshu dropped onto her bed. He scooped up her pillow and hugged it to his chest. He felt so confused. Something was wrong with her and he did not know what, but he wanted to fix it. But what was he supposed to do to help her if he had no idea what the problem was. She said she did not want to talk about it so he had not pressed her. If she did not want to tell him he could not make her. He pressed his face into it the pillow and breathed in her sent. It still smelled like her, almost like she was still here._

_All through the night he had been taking it in, drinking in the sent of her hair and skin. He had studied every curve of her face, listening to each breath she took, and memorizing those moments. His kitten, his love. . . Ichigo. She was so beautiful and so stunning he could hardly take his eyes off her all night - So much so that he had not even slept enough yet. He could not fall asleep with her lying in his arms, so close to him. She was so perfect, like a dream - Except it was not quite like a dream. Her tears had not been like a dream, they soaked into his shirt. The way she sobbed pitifully into his chest cut into his heart. If it had all really been like a dream she would have smiled and laughed._

_"Please, smile for me later, Ichigo."_

* * *

_Somehow, this morning, he had nearly mad her forget about her sadness. Very nearly, she had been her old self, the self she hardly even know these days. While she had been with him, the darkness in her heart lifted just a bit. Now that she was at school though it was all back. She made her way through the crowded hallway. It was all she could do not to cry when she walked by Aoyama's class room. Holding herself together at school was so difficult, it took all the strength she had each day. When the school day was over she was always left with no energy, drained of every last ounce of her spirit. She tried so hard to seem like her old self but it was so hard to keep herself together, let alone act happy._

_"I saw Aoyama-kun's girlfriend today. She still looks so. . . I don't know."_

_Ichigo stopped, frozen as she listened._

_"Yeah, I know." That was Aoyama-kun's best friend from the kendo club. "But I'm still in shock about what happened so I don't blame her for feeling that way. I feel bad for her. . . I know she misses him. We all do. What happened was such a shock, no one had a chance to prepare themselves for it."_

_"There you are, Ichigo!" Moe whirled Ichigo to face her. "I was looking all over for you! Let's hurry and eat lunch together!"_

_"Oh, right, sure!" Ichigo nodded, startled, but not shocked by her friends sudden appearance. She wondered if Moe knew what she had been listening to. She always tried to protect Ichigo from hearing things like that. She really did try to watch over her. Ichigo wished she could be less of a burden to people. Everyone had to try to shelter her and baby her. If only she could be stronger so people did not have to work so hard. She was so weak, she always had been. Before she became a superhero it did not matter so much that she was weak, but it mattered more and more now. After she became a Mew Mew she had so many things to battle, and she should have become stronger, but she didn't. She kept relying on everyone. She let other people be her shields when she should have been the protector. If she had been better, gotten stronger, maybe things would be different now._

* * *

_It was not hard to find his target considering he knew where to find his young friend. All the battles had made the group of three rather close considering all they faced together. There was something about having a world against you to bring you together. Destroying the world had not worked out, but their friendship had. They were as close as if they were triplets anymore. Pai, for all his closed off nature, even regarded them that way. Not to say they did not have an odd relationship, because they did, but it was a good one._

_"Yo, Taruto!" Kisshu glided beside his friend._

_"Hey, Kisshu! How did it go?" The boy's golden eyes look up questioningly._

_"Fine." He grinned at the younger alien, "Been to see Pudding yet?"_

_The tips of the boys pointed ear started to redden and his cheeks got a bit rosy. "She had already left for school when I went to her house this morning."_

_Kisshu smirked, "Oh, I see." He crossed his legs as he floated next to the boy. Taruto was really growing up though, he had to admit. He was already catching up to him in height - He was still not up to Kisshu's chin, but close. The kid was changing and starting to look like the grownup he always tried to make everyone think he was. He had calmed down a lot more these days, become more at ease with being his own age. The playful side in him had shown up more often lately. Taruto was more at ease with his own inner child. That had to be thanks to the little monkey girl. _

_"I know you were here to see her a few months ago. . ." Kisshu said casually, as if it was common knowledge._

_The boy whirled to face him, "What? How did you know?" Taruto's eyes widened in disbelief, "I thought I was so careful!"_

_"Don't worry, I'm the only one who knew." Kisshu waved a hand dismissively._

_Taruto crossed him arms over his chest, annoyed, and slightly pouting,. "Pai would get mad if he knew I borrowed to ship by myself. He still won't let me drive it alone."_

_"He'll never hear it from me, but I **do** want to know what you found out while you were here that time." Kisshu crossed his arms as well, expression calm and blank to keep the others interest down._

_"Like what kinds of things?" Taruto frowned, head tilting a bit, already curious, "What do you need to know?"_

_"Did Pudding say anything about Ichigo?"_

_Taruto paused and looked into the air thoughtfully, "Not really. I did ask about her once when I came alone. I thought I could tell you how she was, but Pudding got upset when I asked. She didn't really say very much about her. She said Ichigo was staying away from everyone as much as she could because she was depressed." He looked back at Kisshu meekly, "I didn't think you would really want to hear about that."_

_"So she did not tell you why?" Kisshu frowned, wishing the monkey was a bit more informative._

_"No. . . I can ask her again when I see her. I will make her tell me this time." Taruto stood up, seemingly intent on his new task._

_"No, forget it." He shook his head, "If you do, that little monkey will tell everyone I'm here. She won't tell on you but there's no way she'd keep her mouth shut about me. I would rather they just not know I'm here. It is easier that way. No one knows you came to see her last time, right?"_

_He nodded, "Yeah, surprisingly, Pudding kept it a secret about me so far."_

_"Well, then let's keep it that way. Just in case. We have a truce and all, but they might get the wrong idea about us being back. I don't want any trouble with that Ryou or the wolf girl. I had enough tangling with them the first time. Besides, it doesn't matter for you, but I don't want Ichigo's lap dog knowing I'm here." Kisshu sighed, exasperated at the thought._

_"Yeah, that's what I thought too. I told her not to tell anyone about me visiting. Pudding went along with it even though she thought it was stupid." His eyebrows went up. "I didn't ask her to keep it from that Aoyama guy though. I didn't think of that when it was just me. Do you think it will matter that I didn't mention that?"_

_Kisshu shook his head, "It will be fine."_

_"You don't think Ichigo will tell him, do you?" Taruto asked._

_Kisshu couldn't hold back a smile. "No, she won't tell him about me being here, I'm sure of that." He knew after she spent the night with him there was no way she would tell the Blue Knight. He knew she never told anyone that he kissed her so she would never tell anyone about this either. She would surely hide his presence here this time, she would be too embarrassed not to. "Anyway, thanks Taruto." The air rippled as Kisshu took his leave swiftly._

* * *

_Ichigo did not intend to come here but her body just took her there. The wooden bench she and Aoyama-kun had always come to was exactly the same as it always had been, the only thing missing was him. She pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them. Deep inside, her chest ached. It felt hollow and empty but the pain surrounding her heart radiated all through her body. It really hurt. Aoyama-kun, why? Why did he leave her? The terrible battle had been the beginning of the end, she just did not realize it. Had she known sooner maybe she could have done something. She should have realized and seen the signs! She should have seen what was happening with Masaya! If only she had just been able to do more to stop that last battle!_

_Her breath caught in her throat as she remembered that phone call, the one that told her she would never see him again. She remembered every word of that phone call like it happened a few minutes ago. She remembered the man's voice. Ichigo had never met his father but that must have been him on the phone._  
_Their powers were taken because of the Mew Aqua, but had returned a short time later. Just the same as that, Aoyama's recovery had been only temporary. Everything that happened to his body because of Deep Blue, and keeping the Mew Aqua in his body. . . In the end the damage that was done that day could not be reversed. _

_Aoyama had died that day so that others could live. He was brought back, but in the end it had still been too much for his body. The two of them had shared in the fate. She gave her life for Masay, and was also brought back. But the two of them. . . She was sure she would also share Masaya's fate. Too much had happened to her body as well. All the Mew Mews had been greatly exposed to the Mew Aqua, but so had Masaya. The Mews had taken the Mew Aqua into their bodies when they used it._

_Mew Aqua returned life where it had been taken. They had all used it more than once. To reverse damage done by Chimara's, they took in the Mew Aqua and used it. That substance gave life but she suspected it also took a little bit from the user when it was taken into the body. Masaya lived with that inside him and released it when he defeated Deep Blue. He had been exposed to it for a long period of time and then released it. She believed that was why his life was taken in the end. If that was true, all of them, having taken it's power into their bodies were likely to suffer the same end. Taking the Mew Aqua into the body put stress on the body, but then releasing it out again put even more stress on the body. The price for taking it in and then sending it out. . . the price was that it drained life from you. Perhaps she was wrong, but she did not think she was._

_Her conclusion seemed the only possibility. Aoyama-kun was exposed to it for the longest time. The Mew Mews were second. The Aliens never took it into their bodies. If they used it at all, it was to use it on their creations or to give it to Deep Blue. No one but the Mew Mews and Masaya had taken it into their bodies to release and use the power. Everyone but them should be alright. Mew Aqua took from the life of its user, the one who connected with it, to give out that life force to others. It stored energy, but when released, it also had to take from the one activating it in order to be used. It was too bad they never realized that before. They would have used it anyway though, so it did not make a difference, she supposed._

_Ichigo herself had used it's power the most out of the Mew Mews. She had also used it together with Aoyama-kun. After Masaya and Ichigo, Lettuce had been the one to use it most - Twice transformed under its power. Ichigo was most afraid for Lettuce because of that. Thankfully, Lettuce and the others had not been dead after the fight with Deep Blue, only injured. That fact increased Lettuce's chances. However, she and Masaya had been dead. Masaya had already been returned to that state._

_All this time she had been hiding this from the others. There was no way she could tell them. They were all sure his death had something to do with Deep Blue, but she was sure it was more than that. She gave Masaya her life force so he should have been alright. The others did not really know what happened inside the dome so they had no way of knowing that. His death had to be because of something other than Deep Blue, it did not make sense otherwise. She would not tell the Mew Mews that._

_She could not tell Ryou for some of the same reason she could not tell the other Mews, he too might share in this fate. He kept the Mew Aqua with him for such a long period of time that it might have endangered him. Knowing he was like them and since he had worked so much with Mew Aqua, she did not know for sure what his exposure might have been. She could also not tell him because deep down she knew if it was going to happen, there was nothing anyone could do. Even Mew Aqua clearly could not save Masaya. . . even after all she had done to save him, nothing was enough. If she told Ryou, he would only blame himself. Shirogane was the one who began it all, so how could he not blame himself? That was not something she could do to someone who had been such a faithful friend. Why should she torment him with something inevitable, beyond his capacity to change._

_Still, perhaps it was only she who would share Aoyama-kun's fate. She had been the only one who transformed all the way. Mint could talk to birds but she never became one. Obviously it affected her the most out of all of them. If it was going to happen, surely she would be the one to die, at least before any of the others. Still, she could not be sure, so how could she tell them. . . If they were going to die, how could she rob them of the joy they could have in whatever time they lived by casting a horrible shadow over them? She loved them, so all she wanted was for them to be able to be as happy as possible for as long as possible._

_"I finally found you, Koneko-chan!" Kisshu chimed as he leaned over in her ear, hands resting on the bench back._

_Ichigo jumped, startled out of her thoughts. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" She hissed._

_"Sorry, Kitten! It's just so much fun!" He simpered at her, eyes fully of play as he floated behind her._

_"How long were you there anyway?" She hoped she had not said anything aloud without realizing it._

_"Just a minute or two." He leaned in to rest his chin on her shoulder, "Why, were you thinking about me?"_

_She did not answer. It's not like she could tell him what she was thinking about, not yet at least. Her chest still ached with the hollow pain that always came when she was at this place. Her whole body ached. All she could feel was that pain. Her face must have showed it too. Kisshu's smile began to sag as he studied her expression. He noticed. Now his face was turning just as pathetic as a sad puppies. The concern in his eyes was growing. She felt her heart beat again. She really could not stand to see him sad, especially since it was because he was trying to help. He really had been working hard to be kind to her, he really went out of his way. She didn't want to repay him by making him as depressed as she was. For a change she wanted to be strong enough not to drag someone else down with her._

_Ichigo forced a big smile, the kind she used to make so easily. "Thanks for coming to see me. I missed you."_

_Kisshu stared deep into her eyes and returned her smile. She turned her upper body, getting to her knees on the bench, quickly hugged him and buried her face in the crook of his neck where he could not see her face. The forced smile fell instantly once she knew his eyes could not see her. Forcing herself to smile was difficult and felt like it took such a great amount of energy. Having smiled, it made her feel like there was an even greater void inside, but she was determined not to let it show. If she could just hide her face from him for a while it would be alright. She refused to show him tears this time so if she could just hide this way for a while it would work out._

* * *

_It was back - That look in her eyes, he really hated it. He noticed it the moment her eyes met his to first time; that look of devastation, hopelessness, pain, and a total sense of loss. He came so close to getting rid of it, but it was back. She looked like a lonely, isolated, lost little girl. She was still Ichigo. She looked and sounded like Ichigo, but in some ways this was not the girl he knew at all. What had happened to her while he was away? What terrible thing could have ripped the bright, ever optimistic, lively, happy look from her eyes and left them dull and sad? He hated that look in her gorgeous eyes, hated it more than he could express. He could have wanted nothing more in the world than to take that look away from her. If only he knew what happened to her! If only he had a clue what to do to help her. If only he had never left her. He should never have left her._

_He hopping over the back of the bench to sit with her, he wrapped her tightly in his arms, willing her pain to go away. Kisshu liked to see her happy the most even though all her faces were beautiful. He wanted to see her smile but a smile put on to cover a tear was not a smile at all. She smiled for him, did her best to hide the deep sadness in her eyes, but he was not blind. He already knew she was secretly still crying, just like last night. He hated to see her cry but hated even more that there seemed to be nothing he could do about it._

_"Hey, Ichigo, I'm going to show you something good!" Kisshu scooped her up into his arms before she could fight._

_"Wait, what? What are you doing?" Ichigo wriggled in his arms, not quite willing to trust him._

_The air rippled as he took her away. Her body tensed as they entered the strange area. He was used to porting but she was not. She held onto him tightly and closed her eyes. His kitty did not seem to enjoy this type of transportation. Maybe he should not have taken her in here but it was too late for that now. She would get used to it. His feet landed on the large rock as he exited the portal. Her body relaxed nearly totally limp as she leaned her head on his shoulder._  
_Her eyes were still closed. "What happened? I feel air sick. . ." Ichigo moaned._

_"It's fine, we're here now. You can open your eyes, we're at a lingerie store."_

_Ichigo's eyes flew open, "What?!"_

_"Just kidding, Koneko-chan!" He laughed as he set her feet down._

_Her eyes widened as she looked around._

_Kisshu circled her waist in his arms, her back pressed against him, "What do you think?"_

_The two of them looked out over the white sand and the slowly moving waves of the ocean below. They were standing on the cliff face looking down over the area. The sea stretched out so far, nearly endlessly until it finally met with the sky far in the horizon. The wind tugged them gently toward the sea as an invitation to dive in. The pools nearest them were deep aqua colors. The gentle sound of the waves washing over the sea and crashing over the rocks swirled around the air. The salt water smell wafted around them like smoke from a barbeque. Kisshu watched the wind toy with her hair in the same way he always thought of doing. She stared out, eyes beginning to brighten._

_"This is that beach we were all at a year ago! The one where you guys made sea monsters the first time. The one where we were having a little fun time before you guys tried to kill us." The corners of her mouth moved up slightly, just the slightest hint of a smile._

_"Umm, yeah, that one." He grinned sheepishly._

_"It's beautiful. . . but why did you bring me here?"_

_"No reason, I just decided to a few seconds ago." Kisshu tightened his grip around her waist and stepped off the cliff. Ichigo reflexively grabbed onto his arms, pressing against him as best she could for security as they glided down to the beach. No one was around this area so he did not need to worry about being seen. She let go of him and he let his arms slip from her waist. She kicked her shoes to the side and sunk her toes into the warm sand. He watched her walk slowly to the water's edge and kneel down into the sand. Her fingers caressed the water as it lapped onto the shore. The waves washed over her toes and up her ankles. He watched her run her fingers through the water as it retreated before he joined her._

_"It's gorgeous!" She mused._

_"Yeah, it is." He nodded and sank his fingers into the sand._

_Ichigo stood and walked farther into the water. Her skirt was getting wet but she did not seem to care. She twirled in circles letting her hands cut through the water at her sides. A smile crept over his face as he watched her. It had been a good idea to bring her here it seemed. Before he could dodge it an icy wave of water accosted him. Ichigo kicked again and sent a second wave at him. As her second strike hit she burst out laughing, eyes twinkling with girlish mischief._

_Kisshu swiped a bit of water off his face, eyes locking onto her. "Oh, so that's how it is?"_

_Ichigo giggled again and stepped back, looking playful._

_"If that's how it is, then it's your turn to get wet!" He grinned, "How about I show you a game called dunk the kitty!"_

_Ichigo screamed and took off running. She moved like a cat, but he was equally limber and quick. He chased her onto the beach and caught her up into his arms, dragging her back into the water. She struggled against him but not so much that he could not hold her. They were both laughing now as he pulled the struggling girl deeper into the waves._

_"You are so going to end up looking like a drowned little kitty when I throw you in!" He smirked._

_She shrieked and wrapped her arms and legs around him, "No, no, no!"_

_Kisshu froze, her face only a breath away from his, lips so close. Her eyes widened as she noticed it too. This had not been his plan but it was ending up this way. Her lips so close, her body wrapped around his made him aware of the color seeping into his cheeks. His breath caught in his throat and his heart raced like a contestant in a nascar race. He moved carefully, very slowly, slow enough she would have the chance to stop him if she wanted to. For a few seconds they shared the same breaths as his lips hovered just over hers, eyes locked. To his amazement she did not pull back. Was she going to let him? Unable to resist a second more he tilted forward and closed the distance, lips tenderly greeting hers. His heart pounded so hard it was nearly painful. They were so soft, so smooth, and warm. This kiss was so. . . amazing. She was not pulling away, she was letting him kiss her. Her arms tightened around his neck as her lips returned his kiss. His head spun as he drank in the kiss he had been wishing for for so long. They had kissed before but not like this, she never allowed him to kiss her before, never. He tasted the salt of the water as his lips caressed hers. He held her closer, drawing her in. He thought he could feel her heart beating as well._

_Ichigo broke the kiss and buried her face gently in his neck. He knew it was her way of pulling away, her way of telling him to stop. She lowered her legs to stand on her own. He could not see her face but he was a bit glad of that. He messed up. She was likely angry with him, or worse, sad again._

_"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that, I wasn't really thinking."_

"_Kisshu, shhhh!" Before he could stop himself, he was submerged in water._

_He surface to see her laughing and grinning like a cheshire cat._

_"So, who was it that got thrown in?" She teased, smiling wide, "Who is the one who looks like a drowned cat?"_

_"Alright, you got me. . ." He stood up swiftly, "But it's definitely my turn now!" He let out a little growl as he went for her again._

_Ichigo bolted for the shore but she had to contend with the waves, he however did not. Flying was cheating, maybe, but too bad. Kisshu sailed over her and cut her escape off. She tried to dodge him but he tackled her into the water. She surfaced with a giggle, hair dripping into her face. Grabbing him by the shoulders she dragged them both down under an oncoming wave. He saw her tail floating in the water and felt it brush his legs. When had they come out? He really had not noticed. How many times was this that he brought them out now? He should keep count._

_They broke to the surface again, both grinning and laughing. She took in several long drags of air. It reminded him that she could not breathe under water the way he could. It was a good thing he had not held her under at any point. Ichigo turned and began wading back to shore and he followed. She made her way up the hill to a sunny place and dropped into it. He eased down next to her and she shot him a smile._

_They sat in silence, looking out over the ocean. Kisshu stared ahead so he would not stare at her. His heart was still beating hard in his chest. He had not thought of it until they were leaving the water, but wet clothes cling to the body. Even with the steady wind their clothes were still plastered to their bodies. It took all his will power not to stare at her, but he snatched multiple glances out of the corner of his eye. Everything in him begged to kiss her again, to look at her, to kiss her, to touch her. He wanted to star at her soaking form but he knew better._

_"Kisshu?" Her voice broke into his thoughts._

_"Yes?" He asked innocently, desperately hoping she had not guess his thoughts._

_"Thank you for bringing me here, I'm having fun." Ichigo ran her fingers through her wet hair, pulling it all back, then reclined back on the ground. "It is so peaceful and beautiful."_

_"Yeah. . ." He could not keep his eyes from wandering over her. "Really beautiful. . ."_

_His body moved forward of its own will, leaning over her before he knew what it was doing. Her eyes widened a little as she stared up into his eyes. His fingers traced a path up her arm and back down again. Her skin was still slightly moist from the water. He could hardly catch his breath anymore. He took her slender hand in his and pressed it to his lips. Leaning down even further he pressed his cheek to hers and remained there for some time trying to gather himself together, or at least get his heart to slow down._

_"Kisshu?" Ichigo's hand touched his neck, fingers delicately slipping through his hair, gliding over his skin. Chills shot up and down his spine._

_Kisshu pressed his lips to her cheek, then kissed her forehead, and the tip of her nose. He was trying to resist, trying to stop himself, and trying to redirect his desire to kiss her on the lips. Everything in him wanted to keep going, to kiss her. His muscles tensed when he felt the damp fur of her tail slide over his leg. Several sets of chills ran through his body, not because he was cold but because of her. Did she have any idea what she did to him?_

_Ichigo could feel the burning heat in her cheeks. She could feel his warm breath on her cheek and neck. His lips moved over her skin gently, so delicately. He was still holding her hand in his. She held her breath and wondered what she should do. She was not at all sure what she should do or even what she wanted to do. So many things were running through her mind faster than she could catch hold of them. She knew she really should just push him away but was it really so bad? His touch was so t_e_nder and sweet. It did not feel truly unwelcome. She did not totally hope he stopped._


	3. Breaking Walls

_Ichigo held her breath. Kisshu was the first person she had allowed into her world after all these months. Last night was the first in a long time she allowed anyone to see her cry and the first she allowed them to touch her. She would not even let her parents hug her. Last night though, she felt so terribly alone. She felt alone since Aoyama-Kun died but last night she felt like she could not stand it any longer. The trouble had been that she did not know how to go back to her family or friends. She put up a protective wall around herself for so long that she no longer knew how to take it down. But then Kisshu walked back into her life, a person who could enter her world, come past her locked doors, literally. Until last night no one had entered her self made sanctuary, her room, but he simply came in. She did not have to find a way to let him in, he just came. Her room was the only place she could fall apart, and he had seen her fall apart._

_Kisshu stayed with her while she cried, he even tried to help. When she felt like she would die if she had to be alone anymore he appeared. He brought her to this place to make her feel better, taking her out from behind all her self made walls. Now he was entering yet another territory. She let him kiss her once and if she did not push him away he would do it again. Her eyes closed as his soft lips caressed her cheek and worked down her jaw. He kissed her chin, and then just above, only a hair away from her lips. The thought crossed her mind to turn her head away from the kiss that was only seconds away but she simply could not get her mind to react in time._

* * *

He could not resist the temptation any longer. His heart beat pounded in his ears as his lips pressed against hers. A sweet explosion clouded his mind. Her kiss, a sweet candy, an intoxicating drug that stole his ability to breathe. He touched her face with his hand and pressed closer deepening the kiss. This kiss felt even better than the first one. Her lips returned his soft touch. He broke the kiss only for a second, just to look at her. Ichigo's eyes were closed. He breathed in as she exhaled, lips touching only slightly. Her eyelashes fluttered like the wings of a butterfly. Kisshu kissed her lightly once, and then pressed his lips to hers fully again. He had been waiting so long for this, for her to return his affection. Since the first day they met and he stole a kiss he had longed for another. More than that, he longed for her to let him kiss her and to have her return his kiss. He longed to be with her just this way, for her to be his. These kinds of moments were what his best, most pleasant dreams had been about in the last year and a half.

Kisshu felt her hands on his chest gently, but firmly pushing his away. She had reached her limit it seemed. He reluctantly obeyed and broke the kiss. It was shorter than he wanted, but longer than the kiss she let him have at the water. The truth was if she had not put an end to it he might never have stopped. No kiss could ever be long enough with her, he would always want more. He would never be able to get enough of her. His golden eyes met her big brown ones. Oh no, what was that expression? Had he upset her?

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking again. I didn't bring you here to try to take advantage of you, I swear. I'm still a guy. . . I get carried away even though I don't mean to."

"I know." Her fingers brushed a bit of damp hair from his eyes and grazed the side of his face.

His eyes fluttered closed at her touch. He sat up and turned around quickly, facing the shore, with his back to her. Facing her, looking at her, all it was doing was tempting him. If he was going to slow down his heart and calm himself down he could not keep looking at her. He closed his eyes, focused on the breeze blowing across his skin and the sound of the waves. It was amazing how fast the sound of the ocean began to relax him. He could hear a few seagulls calling into the wind. The wind was blowing hard enough now that his cloths and hair felt much dryer. He could feel his body relaxing as the waves crashed against the rocks.

He felt a gentle touch on his arm, "Hey, Kisshu?"

He did not turn to look at her for fear it would undo all the ground he gained in relaxing. "Yeah?"

Ichigo moved a bit closer behind him. "You're not angry, are you?"

Kisshu shook his head making the bands in his hair brush over his face. "No, I'm not angry at all."

"Are you sure? You have been sitting there quite a while. I thought maybe you were angry."

"No, but it's very peaceful here. It would be very easy to fall asleep to these sounds."

"A lot of people record these sounds and play them to fall asleep to. I think everyone loves the sea." Ichigo wrapped her arms loosely around his neck as she leaned behind him. "Aren't you glad now that you did not destroy it?"

He chuckled, "Yeah, I am."

"We should probably go back now though. But we should come here again some time." She swung around the side of him and smiled. "Right?"

Kisshu froze momentarily, taken back by her smile. This girl. . . how could she always make his heart stop with one look? Seeing her smile got to him even more. She was the most amazing creature in the world, in any world - And she had him wrapped around her little finger, but he did not mind that somehow. He was so happy to see her smile again. The sound of her laughing had been just like pure music. He was a little afraid to take her back home. What if she lost her smile again? Here she seemed to have forgotten her pain, like this was a different dimension. If he took he home would it really be alright?

"We could stay here a little longer, Ichigo."

She shook her head. "My parents will worry too much if I stay away for much longer. It should be time for dinner so I have to be home." She smiled again, "But don't worry! I will sneak you a plate of my mom's food. I know you will like it!"

He bit the inside of his cheek, not wanting to take her home. Wasn't it something there that made her stop smiling? He didn't want to. When he brought her here it was not with the intention of keeping her here, but now that she was smiling again. . . Then again he tried to take her away against her will once before and that had not turned out well. That girl was stubborn when she made up her mind to be.

Ichigo grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. "Ok?"

"If you really want to go back now, then we can go." He nodded reluctantly.

When it came to Ichigo he was always outmatched no matter what he did. Kisshu scooped her up into his arms, enjoying the moment more he could be with her here. She hid her face and she closed her eyes in preparation. The air rippled as they entered the port and he moved swiftly through it. She held onto him and held her breath. He stepped out carefully behind her house, sure no one would see them. She was right, it was turning dark here. It had not been noticeable at the beach but it was here. He gently set her down on the ground wishing he had taken his time. Ichigo took two step and wavered, legs betraying her totally. His kitty was still not used to that type of travel. He moved forward, arms moving back around her reflexively, a little too much so. She revived instantly, exploding like a wildcat, claws extended, when she noted the unintentional placement of his hands.

"Kisshu!" She jerked free and swiped at him with her hand.

Kisshu dodged her, "Wait! It was an accident!" He held up his hands in surrender.

"Kisshu!" Ichigo hissed. "That was a little too convenient for an accident!"

"I didn't mean to! You were falling! I didn't watch where I was grabbing you!" He sought safety in the sky where she could not reach him. "Does this mean I don't get to try your mom's food?"

Her eyes narrowed, "I'll think about it!" She whirled on her heels, hair swaying as she did. "Can you behave yourself if you wait in my room?"

"So you'll forgive me and bring me food?" He smirked.

"Yes, I will, but watch it next time!" She shot him a wry smile and ran into the house.

* * *

Kisshu waited, and waited, and waited for what seemed like a terminal amount of time. His kitty was taking so long, but that was what girls did. He was nearly asleep on her pillow when he heard the door open. A momentary twinge of panic hit when he wondered if one of her parents might have followed her. He had been so near sleep he never would have noticed even if Ichigo had been trying to warn him to hide. He breathed a sigh of relief when she was the only one who came in. As promised she was carrying a plate with her. He had no idea what was on the plate since he was not that familiar with all the human foods but it did smell nice. She held it out to him triumphantly.

"How did you get them to let you bring this up with you?" He took it from her hand.

She dropped onto the bed next to him. "I told them I was really hungry and wanted to take a bit of food to bed with me."

"And they believed you?"

"Of course. They are just so glad to see me eating they would have said yes to me taking the refrigerator with me to bed. It was no trouble at all to get them to agree to the plate."

Kisshu winced inwardly. So she really had not been taking care of herself as he suspected. He noticed her drop in weight the first time he saw her. She did not look bad, just a bit too thin. He had a feeling she had been taking poor care of herself before he came. Now that he was here he would have to be sure she was healthy.

"Ichigo!" He grinned.

"What?" She eyed him, already suspicious of his tone.

"Will you feed me?"

She cocked and eyebrow. "You can teleport and make swords appear, but you can't manage to feed yourself?"

"But I'm tired now! I took you a long way." He whined at her.

"I think you can manage to take a few bites of food to your mouth then." She eyed him defiantly.

Kisshu stuck his lip out, "Please, Koneko-chan!"

"Did you know you are a pain, Kisshu?" She rubbed her lips together to keep from smiling. "But if you're so tired I'm sure you are too tired to eat at all, so I can just take the plate back."

"Aw!" He sighed, "Alright, I guess I can feed myself. . . sense you are too mean to do it for me."

"I am sure you will manage somehow, Kisshu."

Kisshu took the first bite of something fluffy and white. It felt like eating a cloud, a cloud filled with cheese. He attempted to be easy going about it but this might have just become his favorite food. He worked his way through the rest of the nameless food, progressing in speed with each different human food he tried. Ichigo's mother had never met him so he really could not go down and hug her, but it was tempting. He needed to have Ichigo bring him this every time he was here!

"Human food is amazing, Ichigo! I don't eat it that often but it is delicious!"

Ichigo smirked, "I told you that you would like it. But I have a surprise for you!"

He leaned forward excitedly, "What surprise?"

"Cheesecake dessert." She held out a second small plate. "I sneaked this for you too."

He tilted his head, "Cheese is a dessert too? I thought ice cream was dessert."

"You will understand when you try it. Cheesecake is my favorite."

"Really?" He broke off a piece and held it up to her mouth. "Then have it with me."

Ichigo hesitated, "Well. . . alright. . . but I-"

Kisshu stuck it in her mouth before she could finish protesting. His heart thumped a little faster. He did it, he got her to take it! Round one went to him, or was it round two. . . It was round two, but that was fine. He broke off a piece for himself and tasted it.

"Ichigo! You're amazing for bringing it to me! You're so right!" He nuzzled her arm.

"I know! I told you it was good!" She giggled.

"We should eat it every day!"

"No, no! You can't have it every day or you'll get fat, silly!" She rolled her eyes. "You're only supposed to have it once in a while."

Kisshu shoved another piece in her moth before she could stop him. He nudged his way closer to her little by little so she would not notice. Being with her like this was so much fun. He could not have been happier. It was like they were old friends just talking and laughing. The best thing was that she gave him cheesecake, and even better that she let him give her some. At this moment nothing could have been better. Coming back seemed to be going fine. There was one thing he was going to do that would make her mad though but he was going to do it anyway.

He eyed a crumb of cheesecake left over from him shoving it into her mouth. "Ichigo, hold still." He moved swiftly, catching the piece stuck to her lip with a swipe of his tongue.

Ichigo's cheeks flushed bright red instantly.

"You had a few crumbs stuck to your face." He declared innocently, as if he did her a favor.

Her brown eyes narrow but she just stood up. "I'm going to wash these." She scooped up the dishes. "Stay put."

Kisshu licked his lips. The cake was sweet, but that was even sweeter. He dropped back onto her pillow with a smug, triumphant, and devious smile inescapably plastered to his face. That was more fun than it even should have been. He loved the instant blush that washed over her cheeks. It was deliciously fun and amusing. He would have to think of more ways to make her blush like that.

The door opened again a few minutes later and she walked in without a word or a look in his direction. This might be a problem. He glided to his feet and watched her hang up a few bits of clothes, slamming hangers around a bit more forcefully than needed. He winced when she shut the closet door with a loud thud. Ichigo snatched up her night gown, whirled on her heels and leveled him with a stare.

"Are you planning to stand there all night when I am trying to get ready for bed?" She asked sharply.

Kisshu gave her his most adoring smile, "Is that a no to my question about being able to stay here again tonight?"

Her eyes narrowed without a word.

He put on his sweetest most pitiful face, "Please, Ichigo? I don't have anywhere else to stay you know."

"How did you get here?" She asked shortly.

"I borrowed a ship from Pai. Why?"

"Then you do have a place to stay." She waltzed by him.

"But, Ichigo, come on! It is cold in there at night and it is so hard to sleep in!" He dropped to his knees. "Please, please, please let me stay here! I hate sleeping in that thing!" It was a lie. He did not mind sleeping in it at all. Taruto was staying there. Kisshu only minded because he wanted to stay with her. Even if it had been a palace he would have hated it as long as it meant leaving her. Kisshu dropped down farther and grabbed her ankle and continued whining pitifully.

"Fine!" She hissed.

"Please, Ichigo! Please!" He continued.

"I said you could, now shut up! You are worse than a two year old!"

Bingo! Kisshu floated up and threw his arms around her. "You really are the best, Koneko-chan!"

"Now get in the closet." She ordered, unaffected by his adoration.

"Eh? You're going to make me sleep in the closet?"

"No, that's where you will be until I change my clothes!" Ichigo grabbed him by the arm, tossed him in, and shut the doors.

Kisshu sighed and waited obediently for her to finish. Her could smell her perfume on her cloths. He did not mind this as long as he got to come out eventually. This was not too high a price for getting to see her in the nightgown and stay the night again. Being locked in a closet was not the worst thing she could have done to him. It was getting a bit warm inside of it though. It would not be very long before it was going to be too warm. He frowned as the thought crossed his mind that she probably never locked that Blue Knight in a closet. His fingers knotted into fists. Why was he always having to worry about that guy? He should he been the one with her all along! He would have treated her better. Where was that guy when Ichigo was so depressed anyway? If he was so great why was he not around to comfort Ichigo? If she would ever agree to be his he would never leave her side like that guy seemed to have done.

The doors flew open unexpectedly, "You can come out now, Kisshu."

She made a squeaking sound as he suddenly swept her into the air. "Lets go to bed. I'm sleepy, Ichigo."

She frowned, "You couldn't tell me that while I was on the floor?"

He grinned, "Will you kiss me goodnight, Ichigo?"

"No." She crossed her arms.

"Ok, then you have to tuck me in instead."

"What? Tuck you in? What are you talking about?"

"You have to sing to me, or tell me a story. . . something like that." He twirled her in circles in the air.

Ichigo sprang out of his arms, cat reflexes showing as she hit the ground, and switched off the light. "Get in bed, now, you weirdo!"

"Oh! Ichigo, that sounds so-"

"Keep talking and you're sleeping outside." She leveled him with a glare and walked to the bed.

Ichigo slipped under the blankets and nestled in. He noticed she already had her back to him. That might be a bad sign. There was a chance he had gone a little too far and annoyed her too much. He stared at her in silence for a long time wondering what he should do. Maybe if he left her alone she would calm down and forget about being angry with him. If he was careful she would forget all about being angry by morning. He jumped as she rolled over and looked into his eyes.

"Thank you for today. It was a lot of fun." Her eyes were soft again. "There, I told you something good, so that counts as a bed time story."

Kisshu smiled, "You are so cute, Koneko-chan!"

Ichigo slipped one arm around his waist and settled her head against his chest. "I was really happy today, Kisshu."

He circled her in his arms and thought about trying for a kiss.

"However, Kisshu. . . if you miss behave I will still kick you onto the floor!"

Kisshu nodded. Okay, so the kiss idea was out. But this was nice too. He would get to cuddle with Ichigo all night again. There was not much more he could ask for. She was smiling again and she was letting him stay. This was so much more than he ever dreamed he would get with her when he first came to her room to see her yesterday. His hopes had already been exceeded, wonderfully so. Tonight was even better than before because she looked so much happier this time. She was not crying. He could still feel the sadness she carried deep inside her though. It was a deep pain that had been given enough time to eat away at her from the inside. He had a bad feeling it would take a long time to free her from that, but things were looking better. He was the only one for her. He would always protect her no matter what. Somehow, in time, he would find a way to banish all her bad dreams. For tonight though, he would just enjoy the small victories.


	4. Old Scars

_The past three day had all gone relatively the same. Ichigo woke up late all three times and was in a terrible rush. She was in so much of a rush each time that all she did was make him tuck the blanket over his head while she changed - She did not even make him get out of bed or go into the closet. He could have woken her up in time but he enjoyed this too much. Seeing her flustered that way was so cute. Watching her run around the room madly tossing things here and there was far too entertaining to put a stop to it. At least she looked alive in the mornings. After she was at school it was different._

_The highlights of every day were at night. She did not protest about him staying as long as he was careful. He could tease her during the day but she would forget about it as long as he stopped a bit before bed time. He behaved himself like a gentlemen, most of the time. Could he help it if he had to tease her on occasion? She made it so easy to do! Besides, she acted happier if he toyed with her and teased her. The key was to watch his step and be sure not to press her too far. He had been taking the road of caution and had not so much as tried to kiss her. While she slept, he behaved. It was not his fault if he saw a few things now and then. Only once had he peeked a little, just a little, at her chest. She never knew he did it or he would be dead. The truth was he would not have regretted it even if she did kill him. It was worth it, he would have died happy._

_He was being careful about everything he did here. Kisshu followed her to school each day, sneaking out of her room with care. He was careful not to be seen, watching quietly from a distance as Ichigo was at school. He watched her in class, watched her in the halls, at lunch, everywhere. She did not seem to notice the set of golden eyes watching her, thankfully. He was not particularly sure how she would react if she knew he was not obediently staying in her room the way she told him to. He made sure he beat her home each time and acted as if he had been sleeping in her bed all day._

_Kisshu's worry about bringing her back was correct in the end. Once she returned to school his hard work had all been undone. Her smile faded and she stopped laughing again. Their time at the beach had not been in vain completely. The light she gained back in her eye was there but it was dim. He did his best to make her smile but it felt like he was fighting a doomed battle. The pain was back in her eyes the way it had been before he took her away. She had not cried in front of him again but she did not have to see the tears to know they were there. His perfect little Ichigo. . . Why did she have to suffer? If she would only let him take her away from here he could surely heal her heart and give her good dreams._

_Ichigo's head was resting on his arm. Her eyes were open but she was not looking at anything, just staring into space. The quarter moon shown a bit of light into the room. She was absentmindedly rubbing the sleeve of his new shirt between her fingers. She surprised him today be purchasing a new set of clothes for him and a set of night clothes too. He wondered at the time why he beat her home by so much. When she came back he really had fallen asleep waiting for her._

_"Hey, Kisshu, wanna go somewhere? We could sneak out and do something fun in town." Her brown eyes met his._

_"Don't you have school in the morning?" Kisshu cocked an eyebrow._

_"Yes, but so what. If I can't sleep anyway, why don't we just go do something instead of being bored."_

_Kisshu smiled, "I'm never bored when I'm with you, Ichigo."_

_She rubbed her lips together to keep from smiling. "Fine, you're not bored but I am. Let's go."_

_He put a hand over his heart dramatically, "So cold, Koneko-chan!"_

_Ichigo sprang over the top of him and took her stance. She took his hand and guided him off the bed. She acted like she was leading a child. He lunged at her and caught her in his arms. She flashed him a sly smile, tweaked his nose, then spun out of his arms. He might have made a counter but she playfully grabbed his wrists and held them behind his back. He could have jerked free but he let her hold him._

_"Now, get dressed before it tie you up and leave you here." Ichigo gave him a little shove toward the other side of the room._

_Kisshu resisted the urge to comment on her threat knowing it was the better part of wisdom to keep some jokes to himself._

_"I will stay over here while you change. I won't look, I promise. The only one who needs to worry about a lecher watching them change is me." Ichigo muttered._

_"It's ok, honey, you can watch. I don't mind at all." Kisshu chuckled and stripped off his night shirt. His ear burned a ached suddenly as Ichigo clamped it between her finger and pulled down. "Ow! Ichigo! Ow, not the ear, not the ear!"_

_Ichigo's eyes flared, "Lucky! With these long pointy ears of yours they are so easy to find!" She twisted it a little, "Now, tell me again what you think you are doing?"  
His head moved with the angle of her hold on his ear. "Ow! Ok! You are right! It was a bad joke!" His shoulders arched as he tried again to adjust his body angle to ease the pain, "I'll be good now, I'll be good!"_

* * *

Ichigo's chest tightened and a lump formed in her throat as her eyes fell on the scar on his chest. That scar. . . Kisshu got that from. . . from. . . He got it because of her. Wasn't Kisshu always hurt because of her? Wasn't everyone typically hurt because of her? That scar was an unfortunate reminder of things she did not want to think about. Already she felt guilty for hurting his ear. She released her harsh grip on his ear and ran her index finger along the tip of his ear. Her fingers gently massaged it where she had been twisting it. His shoulders relaxed instantly and his eyes closed. It seemed he had a weakness for getting his ears rubbed the same as she did. She really wanted to hug him and tell him she was sorry but he did not have a shirt on anymore, so she would not do that. Kisshu would surely get the wrong idea about a hug at this time, besides, he might not want to think about that day either.

"Now, get dressed and be good." Ichigo turned her back to wait for him to change. While he was changing she rummaged through a drawer until she saw blue. There it was! She jerked it out and turned around. She was momentarily stunned by his appearance. At the time she was only guessing his size but she actually got it exactly right. The green shirt fit his superbly well built frame and accentuated his eyes and hair. The jeans could not have fit better or complimented his lower body better. She was better at picking clothes than she thought. It did seem strange to see him dressed normally, very strange, but adorable.

Kisshu squirmed a bit. "How does it look? Humans wear such strange feeling things."

"You look good, really good. I'm not used to seeing you that way but it's nice." Ichigo flopped the blue beany on his head and hooked it over his ears. "Hmm. . ." She tilted her head.

Now his head just looked miss shaped but did nothing to hide his ears. She thought this would work much better than that. His ears were just too big to hide. Too bad they could not be a little smaller. She stared at his head. Maybe they could tape them down? No, that would not work. Ichigo tried to think of anything else they could use to cover his head but was coming up blank. Maybe she could not take him out after all. When people were not around it did not matter but it would matter in town.

Kisshu pulled the hat off. "Ichigo, there is no way that would hide anything." He smiled. "But I already have a way to hide my ears. I figured it out before I came back to earth." The air rippled as Kisshu took something into his hand that looked a bit like the souls he used to make the Chimer Anima. Whatever it was, it had been turned into a pendant for a chain necklace. Kisshu slipped the chain over his head and let the pendant hang. She stared at it and wondered what it was but even more. . .

"Kisshu. . . You didn't do something bad again, did you? That isn't a soul, is it?"

He shook his head, "No, it's just something I cooked up after a bit of research." He winked, "Bet you didn't think I did research! But this is a bit like your little gold pendant. I can use it to alter my appearance."

The blue and green stone glowed and Kisshu's ears began to shirk and round. Ichigo blinked as his large pointed ears turned into normal ears. All she could do was stare at him. He looked incredibly different, like a different person, like a human. With one minor change he actually looked normal. He blinked and his eyes were green. Her mouth dropped open, too shocked to comment. It was not that he looked bad, just different. She did not hate it she just could not wrap her mind around it.

Kisshu chuckled, "You guys are not the only ones who can change your looks! Taruto and I can do it too! Don't worry though, it's just an illusion, it's not real. I still have my natural good looks!"

"You are brilliant! I am impressed!" Ichigo moved for the window. "Then we don't have any more problems to worry about, so let's go!"

They escaped silently from the house and raced down the street. Ichigo had to remind him three times to walk rather than glide. He might look normal, as strange as that was, but he was still an alien. If he was going to keep from being discovered he at least needed to remember to always walk. Normal humans did not fly, float, or port. Things like that had to be hidden. It was the same as her problems with finding ways to keep from being seen when she transformed. She could never allow people in her own area to see her transform. It was not quite so bad if she was seen where no one knew her, but it was too dangerous when she might be discovered. Her parents could never find out! She did not even want to think about what would happen if they did. Life would really become complex if they knew about their daughter.

Kisshu walked quietly by her side as they made their way down the street. There were still a few people walking in and out of the shops. There were more than enough people around to notice if he were not walking. She would be sure to keep an eye on his feet. She just hoped she did not forget considering she was just as used to seeing him glide as he was to flying.

"Not being able to do anything but walk is really bothersome. How do humans deal with it?" Kisshu made a face.

"You get used to it. . . it's not hard when it is all you are used to."

"I guess. . ." He nodded.

That face, it was sad. She upset him, maybe hurt his feelings. Maybe she hurt his feelings without knowing. He was always acting crazy so it was hard to tell when he was serious or what might hurt him. Maybe his ear was still hurting too. She should have been more careful. With all the things he kept doing to make her smile she did not want to see him sad. It seemed like she had always been making him sad since the beginning. It was her turn to try to make him smile, she owed him at least that. She was not sure what to do to make him smile though. What would make him feel better?

Ichigo linked her arm with his and threaded her fingers with his. He tried to hide it but she saw the momentary flush in his cheeks. He hesitated before closing his fingers over hers. He was embarrassed? The guy how stole her first kiss the first day he met her was shy about holding her hand? After all the things he was always trying to pull, her holding his hand made him blush? Before she realized it she was giggling.

"What?" He eyed her.

She shook her head. "Nothing. . . you're just. . . cute. Confusing, but cute."

The rose color was back in his cheeks. "I. . . Well, you're cuter, Koneko-chan."

If he was not feeling better yet he would be when they went to the ice cream shop she planned to show him. She forced him to walk faster, pulling him along by the hand. She hurried him inside and dragged him to the counter. It took him forever to decide what flavor he wanted to eat. He reminded her of a child deciding on which flavor rather than someone who was a bit older than she was. After the choice had finally been made the man behind the counter served them the treat. The ice cream was already a little melted by the time they got outside and found a place to sit. It was a good thing she decided on bowls and not cones. She took a few bites of her ice cream before setting it down.

"Just so you know, this is a one time thing, so enjoy it." Ichigo made a face at him as she took his bowl from him. She spooned a bit out and stuck the spoon in his mouth. As embarrassing as this was it did seem to make him happy. He had a huge grin on his face, a victory smile. She made sure she put a large amount into each spoon full so it would not take her as long to do it. She just hopped no one saw her doing this - Talk about humiliation. She was not watching carefully and must have been tipping the bowl too much because she felt cold liquid ooze onto her hand. She set the bowl down and was about to go get a napkin.

"Oh, it dripped onto your hand." Before she knew what he was doing he took hold of her hand and ran his tongue over the spilled ice cream.

Ichigo stared in stunned submission as he licked away the sticky substance. She was surprised by the little flutter her heart made. For some reason her brain told her hand to move but nothing happened. All she could do was stare in shock. Realization hit her that she had also forgotten to breathe. Finally he stopped and looked up at her, but he did not let go of her hand.

Ichigo tried to seem unfazed, "Ok, I pampered you enough for one night. You can feed yourself now."

He smiled wickedly and leaned slightly closer, "I could stand a bit more pampering tonight."

Her heart fluttered again as he slipped his mouth over one of her fingers, sucking the remaining ice cream off before removing his lips. She could feel the heat in her cheeks as he eyed her playfully and ran his tongue delicately over another finger. Kisshu moved away only to lean over her, face mere inches from hers.  
"Koneko-chan, you have a little on your face too." His mouth opened, ready to lick the potentially imaginary ice cream away.

"Try it and you die!" Ichigo said evenly.

He pulled back again and grinned nervously, "You said that so simply and seriously it is scary."

She picked up her own bowl again and started eating. He eyed her carefully but was still grinning as he eight the rest of his ice cream. They finished the rest in silence. To be a gentlemen, he took the bowls and went off in search of a garbage can. . . He had come so far from destroyer of the earth. Ichigo waited quietly until she noticed a couple of guys coming her way. The second she saw them her inner alarm bells began to alert her of pending trouble. There was something odd about them that set her on edge.

"Look at her!" A tall boy slid close to her.

"Yeah, she's a little fox! Red hair and all, just my type." A second moved in on her other side.

Ichigo tensed. They had to be at least college age and they looked like football players. Her stomach was already beginning to knot. Her eyes darted around but did not see her companion, but that was a good thing for now. She knew how he reacted when he got jealous in the past, so she hoped to end this before he was back. She started walking in hopes that they would go away. They maneuvered their way along, following, but not coming alongside her. They kept talking about her as if she could not hear them. They made a few comments even Kisshu would never have dreamed of. A big part of her wanted to transform and teach them a lesson but she just walked faster instead. The two matched her pace again, still not coming all the way, just staying even with her.  
Kisshu moved in next to her. She could see his jaw tighten and his fingers balled into tight fists. She slipped her arm through his partly to show they were together and partly in hopes of holding him back. That look was one she had seen before, fury building slowly with only a matter of time before he exploded. He swept them with a look that would have killed if looks were capable of doing that.

"That must be her boyfriend." One of them mocked.

"He is a bit on the small, geeky side. We could do a lot better with her, I bet."

Kisshu's eyes darkened, face like a storm. Ichigo's stomach gained a few more knots. Those guys had no idea who they were teasing and calling a geek. They were looking at their size and bulk and decided they were on the winning end, but they had no idea. He was physically strong, but he had powers too. Had they known he nearly destroyed Tokyo they might have been a bit more careful. She just hoped he could control his temper long enough to get away from here. Her grip on his arm tightened as a warning.

"Please, ignore them, alright?" She whispered.

One of them got closer. "Why should he ignore us, foxy? Afraid if he tries anything he will die?"

"Yeah," the other joined in. "She must be worried about the little guy getting hurt."

"No, I just don't want him to get your filthy blood all over himself." She hissed, "He has a rather bad temper, I'm afraid." She already knew she should not have said it, that was stupid - True, but stupid.

They cackled like hyenas, "Really?"

"Does that mean if we decide to take you away and make you our girl for the night he would get upset? Should we be afraid? What is he going to do?"  
Kisshu whirled around, "Don't talk to her, you son of a-"

She jerked him back around and started dragging him away as fast as she could. "Please, let's just go! They're nothing for you to worry about! Forget it!"

He let out a feral growl and stopped resisting her attempts to make him go faster. The two boys followed them halfheartedly for a while but not very far. Ichigo was relieved when they finally dropped out of sight. All the time she was just waiting for him to produce his swords and start slicing them to pieces. She was more relieved about getting Kisshu away without him killing one of them than anything. He still looked like a wanna-be death reaper though. Fury was still very much present on his face. She appreciated his desire to defend her and was glad he was there but she really did not want him to go after anyone.

"Kisshu?" She prompted gently.

She flinched when he did not respond. He was still lost in anger. She could feel how stiff his arms were and how rigid his whole body was. Before she went any further she needed to calm him down somehow. She turned him toward a tree and pushed him onto the ground. He did not look at her, just glared into space. She really did not want to see him like this. He needed to calm down before he blew up at a random person.

"I am really glad you did not kill them. . ." She dropped down next to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

No response.

Oh boy, this was bad. She remembered his notorious temper. Granted, she was glad he was sitting quietly versus demolishing the area, but she would have preferred he calmed down all the way. She could still feel and nearly see the rage radiating from him. As angry as he was she was sure he must have heard a bit of what they had been saying. He teased her but he would never have said things like that to her. It must have gotten under his skin to hear strangers saying things like that.

She grabbed his chin and turned his face to look at her. His now golden eyes stared back at her, the rage behind them a bit frightening. He had dropped the illusion and was back to normal.

"Why wouldn't you let me handle them?" He growled.

Ichigo pulled back a little, intimidated. "Because! You and I have powers they don't. People with power can't use it to hurt others just because they want to. It is not right to attack things that don't have a chance of defending themselves."

His eyes narrowed, "Why would you want to show them mercy? They were nothing but trash!"

She was beginning to feel a bit frightened. "It's not that I wanted to. . . It's not like I did not think of ripping their tongues out!" She shook her head. "But I can't do that, and neither can you."

Kisshu stared at her for a few minutes. He finally pulled away from her and leaned back against the tree. He was looking a little better but he was still so angry it mad her feel on edge. When his fiery eyes met hers it had sent cold chills up her spine. He could be frightening. Ichigo impulsively laid over, nearly sitting in his lap, resting her head against his chest. His arms moved slowly around her and he pulled his knees up to hold her up. She leaned her head back on his arm to look into his face. He met her gaze and stared deep into her eyes for some time. She watched him slowly melting until he was back to normal. His strong arms lifted her and pulled her the rest of the way into his lap. She did not resist - Unsure now what to do. She was the one who put herself here without a thought of what she would do later.

For lack of knowing what to say, her unspoken thoughts began to spill out. "Kisshu, do you remember when Taruto and Pai trapped me in that dream world thing with that Chimara Anima?"

"Of course. Why?" He eyed her, wondering what she was getting at.

"You were the one who saved me. You brought me back, woke me up, and made it so the others did not die with me. You stopped Pai from killing me. Pai said at the time; 'His strong feelings woke up Mew Ichigo.'"

He blinked at her, confused.

"Even that day, even when you said you would kill me if I did not go with you. . . even then I did not really understand you."

He stared at her with an expression she could not read.

"Why did you help me then? Why would you want to help me when I-"

His finger covered her lips, "You talk too much sometimes, Ichigo."

Kisshu's eyes locked with hers and drilled deep. She held her breath as his fingertips traced delicately along her jaw and then down the side of her neck. His eyes wandered from her eyes, to her lips, and then wandered even farther. Her heart was beginning to beat faster. Logic told her to run but this was already somehow more complex than logic. His fingers traveled lightly toward the back of her neck. Chills ran through her body. He slid his hand back, fingers splayed and weaving through her hair, and cupped the back of her head. Kisshu pulled her up, his warm breath whispering over her lips. He was giving her a moment to say no, like he had before. Her heart raced and warmth crept into her cheeks again. She tried to deny it and ignore it but she suddenly longed for his kiss.  
Before she thought what she was doing she had wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him the rest of the way into the kiss. The sweet sensation of his soft lips made her world spin. Her heart was beating so fast she could hardly breathe. His lips moved over hers with the gentleness of a tender husband. He tilted her head with his fingers. She shivered again as she felt him grazing sharp but gentle and careful teeth over her cat ear. They were out. Her eyelids fluttered closed, brow furrowed. She felt him slowly working his way down her ear and then his lips found the skin of her throat. Her entire body trembled and she tilted her head even more for him. His lips caressed her skin. . . soft soft and warm. The daze her mind was in terrified her suddenly.

"K. . . Wait, Kisshu, please. I-I. . ." She stuttered, "This. . . I can't, I. . ."

"Okay. . ." He breathed into her ear. "I know."

"I'm sorry. . . I-I'm. . . Kisshu-"

He silenced her with a long, but tender kiss. After he finally broke it he grinned mischievously, lifting her into the air. The air rippled around them and she closed her eyes. Her stomach swirled and her head spun until he set her down on her bed. She hugged her pillow, grateful the ride was over. Kisshu settled in next to her, still grinning. His fingers worked through her hair for a minute. Her eyes fell away from his as her cheeks flushed. What happened already seemed so unreal but her lips still tingled from the encounter.

The two of them threw on their night clothes and dropped back into bed. They were both tired now, about to fall asleep no matter what. After they dropped onto the bed he pulled her close and whispered a goodnight to her. Her eyes were heavy and she could tell his were too. They each fell asleep moments after. Morning would be coming much too soon for two rebels who stayed up too late.

**AN: The plot begins, just a hint of what is to come! Hope you enjoyed it!**


	5. Complications

_Ichigo's world began to shake. "Ichigo, wake up!"_

_Her bleary eyes opened slowly. They ached and burned as the light entered. Even though they were open she still could not focus on a thing. What happened? Where was she? Why was the world moving? Were the aliens attacking? She blinked hard and tried to remember what was going on in life before now._

_"You can't sleep all through lunch, Ichigo! You need to eat!" Moe persisted, but stopped shaking her shoulder._

_She was at school? How did she get here? She did not remember going to school. She did not even remember waking up or doing anything at all, let alone going to school. Ichigo forced herself into a sitting position. Moe smiled and pushed a sandwich at her. School. . . lunch time. Right. Moe and Miwa stared at her expectantly and would probably keep staring until she started eating. She peeled the paper off the sandwich and bit into it. It tasted good, and eating was helping her wake up a little._

_"Come on, Ichigo!" Miwa stood up, "Class starts in a few minutes!"_

_Ichigo waved her hand, "Go ahead, I'll be there in a minute."_

_"Are you sure?"_

_"Yeah, just hurry and get to class. You don't want to be late." Ichigo forced a big smile and took another bite of the sandwich. Moe and Miwa hesitated but finally agreed and hurried off to class. Ichigo was lying, of course, because she had no intention of catching up. She was not going to class, she was skipping. All she had to do was hide in the trees and no one would know she was there. A few birds were pecking around a table near by so she broke up the rest of the sandwich and tossed it to them. She did not really care to eat today. All she felt was darkness inside. She did not feel like eating or being around anyone. Taking a few glances around she sneaked off into the trees next to the tables. The bushes swished as she dove in. Home free! She crawled farther in and sprawled out on the grass._

_All she wanted to do was sleep. Today she did not have the will to care about anything, anything at all. She felt tired; tired in every way possible. This tired was not just the tired she felt from not sleeping enough, it was the kind that made her feel like going to sleep and never waking up again. She did not want to wake up! She wanted to go back to sleep and forget anything existed, anything at all - No past, no present, no future. She especially did not want to think about the past. Ichigo draped an arm over her eyes to block out the sun. She closed her eyes. . . but now that she was awake she could not turn off her mind._

_The past few months had brought so many questions to her mind. She questioned a lot of things including herself. There were times she even wondered what good her powers were supposed to be. She wondered many times if, even though they worked hard, some people had died. With all the damage the Chimera had done it was impossible that no one had perished. When they used Mew Aqua it reversed a lot of damage, even so, some people had likely died. The last day when they fought Deep Blue, they said she was the only one who could save the world. The Mews even entrusted her with their powers and their lives. Because of the efforts of others she got into the vessel and battled Deep Blue. She did manage to change everything, but only by borrowing the power of Mew Aqua. Even with the Mew Aqua though, not everything was brought back. All of them fought with everything in them. She put every last bit of herself into it as well. Everyone said how powerful she was. She was the leader of the Mew Mews. . . But what good was power if you still could not protect anyone, or protect the things you loved most? Some people had still died even with all her power._

_Ichigo smiled angrily. Of course, then again, that was not even her power anyway. She just never had the power to do anything at all! Not ever! She still had nothing, no power to save things most dear to her. What good was any of this? What good was it? All she did was worry and try to hide her secret from people. It was as if her powers were something dirty! Why were they something she had to hide? Because of what would happen if she didn't hide them, that's why. People were fine with the Mew Mews as long as they did not make a mistake. Even after they saved the world people were angry they messed up the train system - Her dad said that. They saved the world but people still were not happy. So what if people knew who they really were? They would be called freaks in the end, that's what. They would be blamed for everything and they would be treated differently. Didn't Kisshu point that out once? It was something about how different they were all becoming from humans._

_It was the burden of being blamed for things, being seen as a mutant. . . that was what she lost everything for. She did not regret saving the world, it was not that. Everyone deserved the chance to live their own life. It was just that not everyone could live their own lives. Some people were always sacrificed in the end for others to live peacefully. Every war was that way, every battle of history. For every victory someone had to pay a price. She payed a price to save everyone too. She gave up the right to have a normal life, and she gave up her ability to be happy. She lost her heart - He died._

_"Mew Ichigo! Found you!" She knew that voice; the crazy vampire with the stupid title._

_She sat up quickly. What timing! He had to show up when she was already depressed. The Saint Rose Crusaders showed up not long after the aliens left earth. The thousands of Chimera Anima had been hunted down for the most part by the Mew Mews. Somehow, though, this group captured a great many of them and used them. The Crusaders were set on turning the world into their own personal playground and "reshaping" it to fit their desires. She was hoping they were going to leave them alone from now on. It had been a long time since they tried anything._

_Yuzen Akizuki, the creepy looking psychic powered vampire walked up to her. All the Crusaders had special abilities of some kind that they were born with. Two vampire bats flew by his side. He dressed like he was back in the old English times, or like the stereo type vampire typically dressed. He even had a mask. She always thought this one was the worst of the group. He was actually human but he had powers normal humans did not possess; he was highly skilled in hypnosis but he also had telekinesis. He had a handsome face, smooth voice, and a strange allure, but he made her skin crawl._

_"I was looking for you." His voiced oozed with charm, too much. "I decided to kill you off first. Will you die quietly? I can send you painlessly to the afterlife."  
Ichigo stared at him without answering._

_"Is that a yes?" He walked closer, light brown hair swaying. "If not I will have to have my pet feed on you for his lunch. . . Not that I will mind the sweet scent your blood will make as you die." The Chimera Anima flew beside him. It was at least the size of a large person but when it unfurled its giant wings it twice that. It looked like a mixture between an eagle and a bat. It screeched and flailed its wings sending a powerful gust of wind at her. She was swept off her feet and flung back hard against a tree._

_Her eyes widened, "It's so huge!"_

_Ichigo knew she had to transform so why was she doing nothing? Somehow, even turning into a Mew Mew seemed too much right now. Somehow she did not want to. Part of her did not care if he killed her now. Eventually she was going to die anyway. Maybe now was as good a time as any. If she let him kill her at least she could sleep forever like she wanted to. If she let him kill her it would all be over and she could rest. Her chin fell a bit. What was she doing? Could she really just give up that way? Since Masaya died she had battled before but she always had the others by her side. She fought more to be sure they were alright than anything else. Now that she was alone she simply did not feel capable of anything. If it was not to defend her friends she had no capacity to fight anymore._

_Her body tensed. Wait. . . Maybe the Mew Mews were not here. . .but she did have friends inside that school. There was no choice, was there. . . She never did have a choice. She had to fight whether she wanted to or not because she was a Mew Mew. Weak or strong, she had to fight. If she defeated the Chimara Anima maybe she could let him kill her. Her death did not need to be a painless one._

_"Mew Mew Strawberry Metamorphoses!" She called out as she became her secret self; ears, tail, pink hair, bell and all._

_"Then that would be a refusal to comply." He cackled wildly, "In that case I will drain you forcefully of your sweet smelling blood!"_

_She saw the creatures fangs extend as it took flight. Ichigo jumped out of its way by mere second, only to be caught by its massive wing. All the air in her lungs left her for a minute. It was fast, wasn't it! Pain drilled into her back where the leathery wing caught her but she stood up anyway. Even though she transformed it might not matter. The Chimera dove for her again and she vaulted over its back. Now she had a clear shot at its back. Its head twirled around like an owl's and caught her arm in its mouth. She cried out as her body connected with the ground and a huge eagle's foot pinned her down. It was no use after all. She just could not manage to fight the way she was, she just could not do it._

_"Attack! Finish her!"_

_Ichigo waited but the bird did not move._

_"Why won't you attack?" Royal Highness screamed._

_A strange bolt of lightening jolted through Royal Highness. The young man howled and dropped to one knee. He rolled away as a second bolt crashed into the ground narrowly missing him. The air rippled behind him and he whirled around to see a green haired alien hovering off the ground. Yuzen stepped back, surprised by the sudden and unexpected entry. Kisshu's golden eyes gleamed as he stared down at the Crusader._

_Kisshu grinned, "You may have been controlling it before, but I created it. It can't disobey me. My orders supersede any of yours." The creature hopped off her.  
"You're one of the aliens!" Yuzen growled. "What are you doing interfering with me? This has nothing to do with you!"_

_"It does! No one touches my Koneko-chan!" Kisshu narrowed his eyes. "Go die!"_

_The Chimera flew toward Royal Highness like a falcon diving for a rabbit. Just second before the bird made impact with him he vanished. There was a swishing, fizzing, popping sound as the Crusader exited. Ichigo let her transformation disolved but did not bother to stand up. Kisshu's hand glowed as he reached into the chest of the Chimera. He fished around until he caught hold of something and finally pulled the parasite out of the creature. The colorful parasite aline wriggled in his hands like a little jellyfish. The air rippled as he shoved the creature into the void. She was surprised to see that the bird was a falcon after all. That accounted for its speed she supposed. The majestic creature spread its wings and soared into the blue sky, eager to taste freedom again after too long a time in captivity. Until now she had never seen one of the aliens undo one of their fused creatures._

_"I did not know you could take it out like that." She said as she finally sat up._

_"Of course I can." He smiled as he held out his hand to her._

_Ichigo reluctantly took it and let him help her up. "What are you doing here anyway? You're supposed to be sleeping."_

_He shrugged, "I had a feeling my little kitty needed me." His golden eyes bored into her. "What happened to you, Ichigo? Normally you would not have had a problem with that Chimera. I know you could have taken it ordinarily!"_

_She looked away, "I'm too tired today, I suppose. I can't seem to get myself together."_

_"You're even being naughty and skipping class, huh? Did he interrupt your catnap?" He teased._

_"He did! I sneaked away just so I could sleep and then he messed up my plans."_

_Kisshu dropped to the ground and pulled her down with him. "If that is the case I will stay guard while you sleep here for a while." He pulled her to him, "You can use me for a pillow, okay?"_

_For reasons she was unsure of she complied and laid her head on his leg. She closed her eyes, already glad for the chance to sleep again. It felt wonderful to curl up this way in the shade of the trees and the quiet breeze. Her aching eyes celebrated the delicious sensation of closing. His fingers began to slide through her hair - He was treating her like his cat already but she liked it. If only she could turn off her mind and let him lull her to sleep, but it was not working._

_"This was your fault, you know." Ichigo mumbled._

_"What did I do?"_

_"They would not have Chimera if you hadn't left those things around here. You could have taken those things with you when you left." She grumbled.  
"Sure, blame your interrupted nap time on me, the one who came to save you." Kisshu sighed dramatically._

_She rolled off her side and onto her back. She just could not stop these thoughts. Part of her was disappointed that he stepped in to save her but another part was glad. The truth was that her feelings were so mangled and distorted that she could barely distinguish anything anymore. Her own true feelings were a mystery to her. Everything was so hard to understand and so hard to deal with. Feelings were so horribly hard. There were times she wished she did not have any at all._

_Ichigo opened her eyes and stared into the sky. "I have wondered many times. . . We fought a lot, and you tried to kill me several times, but. . . I don't believe, anymore, that you ever would have really done it. You never did kill me after all." She paused, "I wonder if the reason you never could kill me was not because I was skilled, or lucky, but because in your heart you did not want to."_

_Kisshu let out a low chuckle, "Could be."_

_Ichigo rolled back onto her side. "Why did you come here today?"_

_"I told you why. You needed me. What? You don't believe me?" His fingers gave her hair one playful tug._

_"Why did you help me?" She persisted._

_"What do you mean why? You were about to get killed, that's why!"_

_"Kisshu, I don't get why you even bother with me! I've hurt you before, I never understood your feelings. Even when you tried to make me understand, I didn't. I've hurt you in the past, right? So why, why would you come back? Why do you still care?"_

_"Ichigo. . ."_

_Before she knew it her pillow was gone and her head hit the ground. He flipped her over and laid over the top of her. She stared up at him lazily. This should have concerned her but for some reason it did not. She either trusted him to be good or she had stopped caring for today. It could also be that she was getting used to things like this since they slept in the same bed each night for several days. There was also a chance she was too tired to be worried. His eyes stared into hers with a bit of annoyed intensity. He looked like part of him was contemplating shaking the tar out of her, gently of course. She wondered what might be going through his mind._

_"There are times, Ichigo, you exasperate me."_

_"Sorry." She shrugged. "I'm not trying to."_

_He pressed his forehead to hers. "I am going to kiss you now, I just decided."_

_"That's random." She arched an eyebrow playfully._

_"So were your questions." He countered._

_"Maybe to you."_

_"Ichigo, I'm going to kiss you so you can't argue with me anymore!"_

_"I can argue after you kiss me, so it doesn't end your troubles." She simpered._

_"Then I'll just have to kiss you forever and not stop." He returned her coy look._

_She paused, "That would be a ridiculously long kiss."_

_He started snickering but it soon turned into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. "Oh, Ichigo. . . you are so cute! Whatever am I going to do with you?"  
"I'm guessing, kiss me since that's what you said you were planning."_

_He shot her an alluring smile. Kisshu began giving her little kisses - Nothing passionate, just a simple, sweet meeting of their lips together. Her eyes fluttered closed. It was nice. She liked the soft feel of his lips, and enjoyed the taste of his kiss. She had no idea what the taste would be comparable to, nothing she could think of, but there was a pleasant taste. This time her mind was clear enough to truly notice how perfectly smooth his lips were. Until now she had not realized his lips were just slightly different than a human's. They were smoother somehow, more perfect, like they had never been chapped a day in his life. She had always been much too flustered to actually realize the slight difference before now. Maybe the way he was kissing her, the simplistic, friendly, calm manner he was using allowed her to take notice. Maybe she was just at ease enough about it this time that she could observe more. These little kisses did not feel threatening or scary at all, just enjoyably easygoing - Like the two of them were doing nothing more than playing around. She could be persuaded to let it go on for as long as he wanted.  
He pulled back and gazed into her eyes. His golden eyes were so gorgeous. . . such a bright gold. Taruto had golden eyes too but his had a tint of brown in them too. Kisshu's were nicer. They looked more pure in a strange way, considering. It was peculiar though because he did seem pure, placid, and overly gentle right now. Not long ago he had been threatening to kill someone and now he was next to her seeming as innocent as a lamb. Just who was this person? Who was he really? Was this his true self, the side he seemed to only show to her? There really was such a tenderness in his eyes as he looked into her eyes. If she was not careful she could get lost in those golden pools._

_She reached a hand up and toyed with the ends of his hair. She liked his hair too, it was silky. Absentmindedly, her fingers laced through his hair, then gently explored the lines of his neck._

_He shivered, "Ichigo, your giving me chills. It feels rather nice but it tickles too the way you're doing it."_

_"Oh, sorry."_

_"Don't apologize. I didn't say I disliked it." His lips found hers again with a sweet, long kiss._

_She felt heat rising into her cheeks. This kiss was starting to be a bit different; it was getting deeper, less tranquil and more zealous. After he broke the kiss he returned to the kisses he was giving her before but after the first one they did not seem the same. Her heart was beginning to flutter each time his lips touched hers.  
"You should probably go back now. Someone might find us out here. I should go too." She mumbled._

_"Yeah, probably." He stared at her a bit more and nodded._

_She did not really want him to go but her logical side was screaming loudly in her ear. He should go and they should stop; she should go back to school. Letting this go on was a bad idea. It was better for him if he did not get involved with her, she knew that. Letting him get involved with her in any way was the wrong thing to do. She knew she was not the girl he needed to be with. Eventually she was going to die the way Masaya had. Ichigo knew she could not give him what he needed anyway, she was too damaged. Truthfully she was afraid if she let Kisshu stay much longer he would end up hurt even more. All this time she should have forced him to go, but she could not force herself to. She felt so terribly alone, so dead. . . but when he was with her she felt a bit more alive. When he left she would die inside again and she would be alone again. She really wanted him to stay._

_Instead of telling him he should go, what she really wanted to do was ask him to stay. What she wanted to say was: 'Please, stay because I never want you to leave me. Please stay with me forever.' But she did not say that, could not say that. How could she say that to him? It would be like the fish asking the bird to stay with her forever. If the bird stayed with her he would eventually drown. Even though the fish had fallen in love with the bird her love would kill him. The fish could not join him to fly in the sky because he had wings to be free and she did not. Those were such things that could never be._

_Kisshu moved to get up and her heart constricted. Don't leave me! She suddenly felt desperate. She could not deal with him leaving her alone yet. Not today, not yet! She could not deal with him leaving her to her darkness again. Ichigo slipped her hand back the rest of the way and held the back of his neck gently but firm enough to hold him in place. He arched an eyebrow, confused by her self contradictions. Her arms wrapped gently around him. This was as close to begging him to stay by her side as she would allow herself to come._

_She was vulnerable now, she knew that. Vulnerable in a great many ways. Whether it was her vulnerability that lead her to think this way about him or not, she had no idea. Maybe it was vulnerability that made her susceptible or open to him. True or not it did not matter to her right now. All she knew was that she really wanted, needed someone to be with her. All this time she felt so alone and isolated because she had no one to turn to. People she would have turned to normally were people she could not talk to. Either she could not tell them because she could not let them know her secret or she could not tell them because they had the same secret she did. The truth was, there was not anyone she could turn to besides Kisshu. She was not sure she would tell him anything, but if she was going to talk to someone, it would have to be him. There wasn't anyone else in the world she could go to, but she did not mind that it was him._

_The truth was she never realized just how terribly dependent she had been on Aoyama-kun all this time. Without him here now she felt lost and alone. She relied on him for so many things. When she was down she could rely on him to make her smile; she became dependent on him for her own happiness. His gentle eyes and tender words always made her feel safe; like things would always work out as long as he was there. When she needed advice she went to him. He was always there for her, protecting her. She leaned on him for so much. But now he was gone. She stopped short. Her mind returned to that last day with Deep Blue. Aoyama was not the only one that risked his life for her sake, Kisshu had as well. Kisshu may have stuck his neck out for her more times than she even knew about. Even though they were enemies he really had been her protector too._

_In their first meeting her ears had been out. When Kisshu came he dropped a coat or something over her head and when he took it back the ears were gone. Had he done it to help her? Had he helped her to hide her secret? He stole her first kiss then too, but maybe, in his own way, he helped her as well.  
Tears filled her eyes again. She really was terrible, and weak. She always was too weak to help anyone. Everyone had to hold her up, support her, come to her rescue. What had she ever really done alone? Whether it was Masaya, the Blue Knight, Ryou, Kisshu, or the other Mews, she always relied on someone. Someone was always having to save her, always! Now that Aoyama-kun was. . . now she was leaning on Kisshu the most. What good was she? The past began to play through her mind, re-visiting all the times others risked something for her. What good was she? In the past she felt so confident. People told her several times how different, special, strong, or powerful she was. . . but it was not true. Sobs welled up in her throat until they finally spilled out. She had been determined not to cry in front of him again but this time she just could not help it._

* * *

Oh, Ichigo, what should I do with you? Kisshu pulled her tightly into his arms. He knew she was especially sad today, almost like the first day he came back, but now she was showing it. This sadness inside her was so deep he was starting to wonder if he would every be able to reach her. Seeing her like this felt like a knife to his heart. Every day he saw her sadness eating away at her spirit. It was like watching this girl he loved slowly drowning in the depths of the ocean. Because he had been gone so long, by the time he discovered her in this ocean she already seemed half gone. He was not sure he would be able to get her to the surface in time to save her from drowning.

Her small frame shook with her tears. She clung to him as if she were a child frightened by a thunder storm. He could feel her pain and fear like water soaking into his skin. What was wrong with her? What was it that tormented her this way? He stroked her hair and began rocking her gently back and forth. He had always hated to see her cry. He could not help remembering the last time he saw her cry before he and the others took the Mew Aqua to their home. She had been the one holding him in her arms that time. Even that time he hated the sight of her tears.

"Shhh. . . don't cry anymore, my love. I'm here to protect you, okay?" He whispered into her ear.

She shook her head wildly, "No, you can't. It isn't even possible!"

"Of course it is, Koneko-chan."

"No! I don't want it! You should go home, back to your planet!"

His heart twisted a little and it took him a moment to speak. "Is that what you want me to do?" He asked quietly. "You want me to leave?"

She did not answer, she just cried harder. Something in his chest ached. Her words echoed in his head like shattering glass. His hold on her slackened a bit. So that was what she wanted, was it? He supposed he should have known this time would come. In the end history often repeated itself. Part of him had begun to believe this time would be different, but he should have known better than to indulge in those thoughts. He did not regret having this time with her. . . but. . . his heart already hurt. He tried so hard to help her and they had come so far but maybe he really could not help her. Maybe he was part of the problem for her rather than a help. Maybe she was crying because she did not know how to tell him she did not love him. She would always love Aoyama rather than him. That might have something to do with why she never would tell him anything about what upset her.

Kisshu let his arms fall to his side as he pulled back. Somehow he had hoped things would end on a better note than this. He always intended to leave when she told him to. He would not force her to love him or force her to be with him. He always knew he would have to leave when she asked him to, and now she was asking. At the moment he felt like he could not breath. He tried to tell himself it did not matter to him if she loved him and tried to tell himself it did not hurt that she just told him to go home. If she wanted him to go back to his home he would, but that did not mean it did not hurt. Some of the things she had been saying made a bit of sense now that he thought about it. She had been trying to get him to leave, trying to break it to him slowly.

He started to get up but she grabbed his arm. "Wait. . ." She said quietly.

Kisshu pulled out of her reach. "No, it's okay. I understand, you don't have to say anything. I won't try to force you to do anything this time." His heart screamed with pain as he floated into the air. "I'll go quietly. . . Just take care of yourself, Ichigo."

He could not look at her anymore, it hurt far too much. Kisshu turned away, eyes squeezed shut, trying to control himself. It did hurt more to leave her now that they had been closer. Loving someone really was painful. Nothing hurt more in the past or now than Ichigo. Everything in him screamed to stay but he swore he would obey her wishes when this time came. He swore he would leave the minute she told him to. His vow was never to try to force her to be with him. He would not make the same mistakes again. No one could force someone to love them.

**AN: Well, things are heating up a little more at last. Plot is slowly making its way into things!**


	6. Please Stay

_Ichigo hated herself for crying in front of him again. If only she could just be stronger! She was always leaning on Kisshu. He was so good to her and put up with her. He was even holding her while she cried. She really had no right to lean on him after everything that had happened in the past. The truth was she felt wicked for allowing him to comfort her after she had been cruel to him for so long. She needed him now so badly. He was the only thing holding her up right now. The only light in her world was coming from him. The trouble was it was wrong of her. It was hypocritical to tell him she cared nothing for him when she had Aoyama-kun, and now to expect him to tolerate her. How cruel was she? What good was she?_

_"Shhh. . . don't cry anymore, my love. I'm here to protect you, okay?" He whispered into her ear._

_Ichigo's heart stopped. "I'm here to protect you." Hadn't she heard that before? Hadn't she been told that by someone else? Yes. . . she had. The person she used to lean on told her that. The boy she loved with all her heart, her knight, her prince, her protector said that to her before. Aoyama-kun swore he would always be there for her and would always protect her. . . but now he was dead. He promised never to leave her!_

_She shook her head wildly, "No, you can't. It isn't even possible!"_

_"Of course it is, Koneko-chan."'_

_A cold chill traveled through her. No! Don't say that! Don't try to protect me! She was becoming so dependent on Kisshu, she needed him, but this happened before. What happened to Masaya when she leaned to much on him? It got him killed! The day they all fought with Deep Blue. . . Kisshu stepped in to save her. He risked his life for her and lost. He was alive now, but. . . Masaya risked his life for her too and he was dead. She stared into Kisshu's face. What if it happened again?  
Kisshu stepped into her fight with the Crusader and even showed himself. He put himself in harms way without hesitation. When he came into the fight he knew nothing at all about Royal Highness, but he came anyway. Even she did not exactly understand the powers the Crusaders had yet. In all probability she would have been killed today if Kisshu had not stepped in to save her. The trouble was, by stepping in, he showed himself to be a threat. They had a new face to paint as a target. What if. . . what if. . . the same thing happened again? What if Kisshu were to die because of her? No! Hadn't enough people risked their lives for her? Hadn't enough people died because she was weak?_

_"No! I don't want it! You should go home, back to your planet!"_

_Enough! She did not want anyone to be hurt because of her, especially not Kisshu. In the past, she had already hurt him enough, even caused his death. She did not want anything like that to happen again. If he left nothing bad would happen to him. When he was with her he always ended up in danger or getting hurt. If he were back in his own world he would live a peaceful life. He deserved a nice life - Deserved to be free of her forever. If it was her, she would always be dragging him down. She already did it to Masaya. It was because he was always protecting her that he was dead now. Even Deep Blue told them the Mew Mews connection to him sped up his awakening. What that really meant was because of her connection to Aoyama-kun, because of her he became Deep Blue. Had she never gotten him involved it might have been different for Masaya._

_"Is that what you want me to do?" His voice was so soft she could barely hear it. "You want me to leave?"_

_The sound of pain in his voice made her chest tighten so much she could not even take a breath. The deep emptiness she felt when he was not with her returned, only so much stronger. The tears she was already shedding took on a deeper sorrow. Her sobs got louder even though she was fighting them with everything in her. Ichigo's body shook uncontrollably with her tears. No! He did not understand. She did not want him to go. . . that was the last thing in the world she really wanted. She wanted him to stay!_

_Pain shot through her as he pulled away and moved out of her reach. Her head spun as she watched him floating into the air. She really could not breathe anymore. He turned his back to her. Ichigo watched with blurry eyes as he opened a port. The air rippled in front of him and he slowly glided in. It was over. He was leaving. Kisshu was going back to a place she could never reach. He was flying away._

_"No!" She shrieked._

_Kisshu froze midway._

_"Please, don't. . ." She covered her mouth with her hands. No, she could not do this! She had to let him go no matter how much it hurt. It was what was best for him. Things would be better this way. Letting him go was the right thing to do. She had to let him go! She could not call him back!_

_He turned to face her again. She looked into his eyes for only a second before she had to look away again. Sharp pain shot through her chest again and again. She could not look at him because if she looked at him she would cease to be able to hold back._

_"I will leave if that is what you want me to do, Ichigo."_

_It felt like her heart was splitting into millions of tiny pieces. Why? It had only been a few days? Why did she feel that if he stepped into that port that the only ray of light would go with him? After only a few days like this she should not feel this dependent, this tied to him. Why did the thought of him leaving her make her want to die? Why? Why couldn't she let him go peacefully?_

* * *

Kisshu stared back at her. She was crying so hard she did not even seemed to be getting any air. Her face was hidden in her hands. The shuddering cries accosted his being to the core. He hated this sound.

He could not stand it anymore, "Stop, please!" He glided to her side and gathered her into his arms. "Don't cry like that, Ichigo."

Ichigo grabbed hold of him like she was taking a life preserver. Before he knew it she was practically tied to his neck. She clung more tightly to him than before and shook her head slowly but deliberately. He was not sure what her response meant. What was she saying no to?

"What do you want? You must tell me clearly." He prompted.

"Please. . . don't-" She did not make it through the sentence before she clamped her hand over her mouth to muffle a cry.

"Don't what, Ichigo?"

"Don't leave me. . ." She blurted out. "I can't, I don't. . . I don't want you to. . ." She wailed into his shoulder.

An irresistible smile crept onto his face and his eyes drifted shut. "Oh, Ichigo. . . Why didn't you say so sooner? You could have saved all those tears and not ruined your appearance. Now you look terrible! It will take you all day to fix your face."

She laughed through her tears, "Jerk!"

So, she did not want him to go even though she said she did. What a confusing woman! If the way she was hanging onto him said anything it was that he should not leave her. He shook his head. They really did have a unique relationship. No, they had a strange relationship! It did not matter though. He love it and he loved her. He felt like his heart had begun to beat again now and he could finally breathe again. Part of him wanted to shake her but part of him just wanted to keep holding her. A few seconds ago it seemed like he would never get to hold her again, but here they were. Ichigo seemed shaky now as he held her. He wiped at her drenched face with his fingers.

"You wore yourself out with all that crying, silly girl." He scooped her up, "Let's go fix your face."

The air rippled as they entered a port and she squealed as the door closed. She shut her eyes and rested against him. She already looked better, happier, more at ease in some ways. At least she was not crying anymore.

* * *

Kisshu did not bring her back to school after she was calmed down. He kept her all to himself, not wanting to let her go. After believing he had lost her once again he could not bring himself to let go of her. The idea of being apart from her, even to simply let her go to school, seemed like it would be more than he could stand. Tomorrow he would let her go, but not today. She did not seem to want to be apart from him either. She had not let go of his hand for hours. Ichigo clung to his side ever since he returned to her. He had not even left her, but it seemed like he had. Having to walk away from her made him feel as if another year had passed during those terrible moments. He was pathetic when it came to her.

He was back in his human form so they could go unnoticed. So she could walk the streets without worry she had changed out of her uniform. To be doubly sure she would not be seen by anyone she knew he took her to a different town. It was only a few miles outside Tokyo, but it was far enough. She seemed happier here too, like being out of Tokyo made her feel freer. She seemed more liberated now that they were outside her familiar area. Here she did not have to contend with anyone she knew or any old memories. He decided he would be sure to take her out of town more often now that he knew it helped lift her spirits.

Kisshu did the only thing he could think of at the time, he took her shopping. The last time he was on earth he kept hearing how girls liked to go shopping. Everyone said shopping made girls happy. He honestly did not see the appeal of it but if this would make her happy he would go along with it. With the two of them walking happily, side by side, it was hard to imagine that a few hours ago they had nearly separated forever. Regardless, they were together now. Part of him still was confused and part of him wanted to strangle her - Those were only small parts of him though. Mostly now he was just happy. She asked him to stay. Whether that meant that she was asking him to stay a little longer or whether it meant forever he did not know. Right now it did not matter. She asked him to stay. Those were the most wonderful words he thought he had ever heard her say.

Taking her here was his way of telling her how happy he was. Ichigo did seem to be having fun too. She was laughing a lot as they walked hand in hand through different shops. He let her take him into any store she wanted. He even suffered the humiliation of being used as a manikin. Ichigo took a little too much enjoyment out of putting pink hats or the like on him. She even forced him to stand still for her to snap a picture with her phone. Kisshu realized he was now seeing Ichigo's evil side. He was now questioning the wisdom of letting her decide what stores they entered. It was hazardous.

"Try this on!" Ichigo held out an outfit to him.

"No. I am not putting that on." Kisshu crossed his arms.

Ichigo had dragged him into a store for something called a prom. They had strange looking clothes for guys. He did not mind the things they had for girls though. She waved the odd set of clothes called a suit, or a tuxedo, something or other under his nose. It looked horrifically uncomfortable. He was amazed at what humans would allow themselves to be put through with such clothing.

"Please, please, please! I am dying to find out what you would look like in this!" She fluttered her eyelashes.

"That should be against the law." He sighed.

"Just this one, Kisshu! Come on!" She pleased.

A cunning smile creased his lips, "On one condition!"

Ichigo arched a brow as she eyed him, "What condition?"

"I will try this on for you if you try that on for me." He pointed to a purple dress on one of the racks.

"T-that. . . dress? B-but it's. . ." She stared at it wide eyed.

He leered at her. "Those are my terms."

"I can't possibly wear that, it's so. . ." Her cheeks were starting to flush. "My body isn't even fit for a dress like that!"

"Do you want me to wear the tux, suit, thing or not? It's up to you."

"Fine." She snatched the dress off the rack and marched to the dressing room area.

* * *

This dress was incredible! Did he even realize how extreme this dress was when he picked it? Yes, he likely did. This must have been the payback for the pink hats and scarves she put on him. She stared at her reflection in the long mirror. The royal purple dress was beautiful but there was no way she would ever come out of this room. She had no intention of letting that lecherous guy see her in this. It was an elegant halter top with beads lining the neck line. The problem was that the v-neck line plunged just short of her naval. The back of the dress was nonexistent, a totally open back. It was a floor length though and the material was very soft.

"Come on out, Koneko-chan. " Kisshu cooed.

"No, I am not coming out." Ichigo shook her head wildly even though he could not see that through the curtain.

"Don't you want to see me in this thing, Koneko-chan?"

"I don't care, I am not leaving this room!" Ichigo said firmly.

"Very well, Koneko-chan." Kisshu ducked swiftly inside the curtain.

Ichigo grabbed her shirt and pressed it to her chest. "What are you doing? You can't come into the girls dressing room! It is not allowed!"

"It's fine. The girl working here told me she had to go to the back for a while and do inventory. She said we could call her when we were ready. She won't catch me here." He smirked.

Why curtains? Why couldn't they have a door? What was wrong with doors? What good was having a curtain? You could not lock a curtain! Kisshu was grinning smugly. Ichigo's heart was beating a bit faster. Her eyes wondered over him, examining him. He looked like a prince in the black three-piece suit. The vintage style vest was black but with blue pinstripe. The jacket had a band of blue color along the lapel. He had left the collar of the shirt unbuttoned like a model. He truly looked stunning and handsome. In some ways he reminded her of Keiichiro Akasaka in this.

"Kisshu! You look great! So handsome!" She could not help grinning.

"You think so?" He chuckled, "I had no idea how this was supposed to look when I was trying to put it on. Lucky for me there was a poster of a guy wearing something like this next to the dressing room. I copied what the picture showed."

She giggled, "Well, it looks nice!"

He leered at her, "Koneko-chan," he chimed, "It's your turn. I showed you, so you have to show me."

"But I. . . it's so. . ." Her cheeks flushed hot as he swiftly tugged her shirt out of her hands.

Kisshu made a little purr of approval, "Wow, Koneko-chan!"

Attentive eyes scanned her up and down, drinking her in thirstily. She suddenly felt claustrophobic in the little dressing room - A hungry tiger and a little cat together in one room. He reached out his hand and traced a line up her arm with his fingers. Little chills ran alongside his touch. She held her breath as he closed the minuscule distance between them. Her heart rate spiked and her cheeks began to feel warm. He was so close and she was in such a little bit of clothing. She did not even have a bra on! Since he had been staying with her she kept one on at all times. Beginning at her collarbone, he traced the dip of neckline with is other hand.

His breath whispered over her skin, "I knew I was going to like this dress."

"K-Kissh-" Her eyes squeezed shut as he leaned in with a quick kiss.

His lips caressed her ear as he spoke, "You look so beautiful."

Ever so delicately, his fingertips ran slowly over her skin, along her shoulder and down her exposed back. Delicious chills ran up her spine. He ran them slowly up and back down again so gently - The little gesture sent a strangely sweet shock through her. Lowering his head, he began dragging his lips over her shoulder. Her head rolled obediently to one side, allowing him better access. The strange feelings were making her dizzy and it was increasingly more impossible to think with any clarity. The moment his fingers first touched her, she was already at his mercy. No matter what her mind was telling her she was unable to hear it anymore. His lips explored her bare shoulder and then her neck. It elicited a quiet moan from behind her closed lips.  
He lifted his head and locked eyes with her before pulling her into a kiss. His tongue slipped into her mouth, caressing her tongue tenderly. Long fingers ran through her hair and cupped the back of her head, pulling her deeper into the kiss. The kiss and gentle motion of his tongue drew a muffled sigh from her. They had never kissed like this before. It took her breath away and drove her mind further into a haze. His other hand traveled slowly and carefully over her exposed lower back. The material rustled a bit as his fingers edged slightly under the line of the dress. She clung to him - dazed and confused - fingers threading through his thick, silken, hair.  
Sudden, sharp pain cut into her spine as her back connected with the wall. The fight with the Chimera - That things wing caught her between the shoulder blades. Until now she had not noticed it. It only revealed itself when his body pressed her back to the wall. If not for the injury she did not realize she had it would not have hurt her. She winced and tensed with the dull but harsh ache. Kisshu broke the kiss instantly.

"Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head, "No, it wasn't your fault. It's nothing."

He frowned, turned her around, then lifted her hair back. "What is this?" His hand covered the spot between her shoulders - The touch was so warm and gentle but still painful.

"Please, don't touch it." She pulled away with a nervous laugh, "It's not a big deal."

"Where did that bruise come from?" He persisted.

"I got it during the fight but it is nothing."

"I see." Kisshu pulled back the curtain, "Well, I should go back to my side before we get caught."

Ichigo nodded, "Right."

He ducked out with a swish of the curtain. "Oh!" His head poked back in, "Do you need help getting that off, honey? I would be happy to assist."

Ichigo glared at tossed her shirt in his face. "No, I don't! Pervert!"

"Just checking." He grinned and ducked out again, but this time taking her shirt with him.

Ichigo chased after him. "Wait, give that back! I still need that!"

"Then you should not have thrown it at me." He chuckled and kept going.

"Come on! Give it back! Please?" She said sweetly.

"I might. . . if you agree to try things on for me at a lingerie store." He chortled.

"No way, you pervert!" She snatched her shirt out of his hand and dashed back to the dressing room.

She changed quickly, slipped the dress back on its hanger and left the little room. Kisshu was already waiting for her by the door. They replaced their respective outfits to the racks and walked out quietly. They did not want the woman working there to see them leave. It seemed a bit strange to have to sneak out of a store but it just seemed like the thing to do. Once outside Kisshu slipped his hand into hers again as they walked. Things were back to normal even though he nearly left her earlier. Her arms wrapped instinctively around his arm at the thought. The thought of him leaving made her sick. She never wanted him to leave. It was selfish but she could not help it, she needed him more than anything. She really did. . .

Ichigo was snapped out of her thoughts by the feeling of something wet hitting her nose. It was followed by a second drop of water, and then another. Rain. They both glanced up at the dark clouds rolling over them. Somehow she had not noticed at all, she normally did. They sped up their pace a bit. Before they had gotten far at all the rain was coming down remarkably fast. People were rushing around and by them as the rain fell harder.

"Perfect. . . With all these people here I can't even take us out of here without being spotted." Kisshu growled.

They quickly ducked inside a shop without even looking to see what it was. The two of them shook off a little as they came in. She stared outside as the rain feel even harder. It was unthinkable how fast the storm was peeking. She wondered why she had not sensed the storm coming. She always knew when a storm would be coming well in advance. It was very odd. If they were still battling Kisshu and the others she might have wondered if the sudden burst of weather was their doing.

"Ichigo, you are not going to believe where we are!" Kisshu doubled over with laughter.

She turned around to discover a wall of sexy, skimpy, and outrageous lingerie. "Eh? No way!"

"We really did end up in a lingerie store! What are the odds?" He cackled.

Ichigo stared ahead, speechless.

Kisshu shot her a sultry look. "Since we ended up here anyway. . . you could always try something on to pass the time."

"What?" Her cheeks were heating up as she thought back to the formal shop.

Kisshu slipped an arm around her waist. "How about that pink and black maid one? Or maybe that sheer set with the strawberries on it, that would be perfect for you!" His tone was low, "Or we could try something really naughty too!"

All she could think about was that dressing room - the way he kissed her and the touch of his fingers. She felt her ears suddenly make their entrance. No! Why now? Before she could move to try to hide them Kisshu stuck something on her head, in front of the ears. He grinned and held up a second headband with big, fake cat ears on them. There was a stand next to them that had everything imaginable: cat ears, bunny ears, masks, and the like. A smile edged at the corners of her lips and she cupped his hand in hers. He used fake ears to cover up her real ones. She could easily keep her tail hidden on her own. It was a good thing she had chosen a long skirt to wear today.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"No problem." He gently caught hold of her tail through the skirt. "It is the least I can do. . . since I'm the one who excited you."

"I take it back." She growled. "I'm not thanking you."

Kisshu chuckled and grinned wickedly as he slid his fingers along her tail. "Are you sure you won't try anything on while we are here?"

"I'm leaving!" She hissed.

"You can't! Not as long as your ears are out." He shot back and ran the tips of his finger down the curve of her neck.

"Stop it! Nya! You're not helping!"

"No, but I am enjoying this. I would enjoy it more if none of these people worked here though." His voice had taken on a seductive tone.  
"Nya! You're so mean! I'll never get rid of them if you don't stop! Nya!"

"Alright, Koneko-chan. You win, I will be good now." He nuzzled his face against her neck.

The two of them listened to the sound of the rain beating down on the roof. As hard as it was coming down it was a good thing they had been near the shops. It would have been a pain to be stuck outside when it was raining that way. He kept his arms circled around her waist but, true to his word, had stopped teasing her. Once her ears and tail had gone away he slipped the fake ears back off her head and replaced them in the bin.


	7. Night Terrors

_After the rain ended Kisshu took her home. Ichigo wasted no time at all dragging him out of the store they were in. She had not even waited for the rain to come to a full stop. It was still coming down when she pulled him back out the door. She checked carefully what business they entered before she took shelter in a second place. It really did not bother him though. Ichigo looked rather nice when she got wet. She worried about her hair, but he noticed other things, like how her clothing clung to her like a second skin. That was something he did not mind in the least. His clothes got wet too, which annoyed him a bit. The feeling of wet clothing was quite uncomfortable, most of all human ones._

_The beginning of the day had been foul but everything after that had turned sweet. Despite the trouble, things were back to the way they should have been all along. Both of them were endeavoring to forget their momentary issue. Unfortunately her mother was told about Ichigo's skipping part of the school day. A good portion of the night was spent with him hiding under the bed while Shintaro and Sakura Momoiya gently but persistently berated their daughter._

_He only just made it under the bed, not a second too soon. If anything was going to give him heart failure it would be that. Being caught in Ichigo's room would have been extremely bad. There would have been no way to avoid being seen had he been a second slower. If that had been the case they surely would have seen his alien appearance since he stopped using the illusion once he took her home. He dropped her off at the front door and went to her room, not knowing there would be trouble.  
Kisshu could have ported out once he was under the bed and out of sight but he could not bring himself to leave her alone. Being under this bed let him know that he never wanted to meet her father. Her mother was not so bad, but her dad. . . He would be sure to avoid that guy. Family dynamics were so strange. When they dragged her downstairs to eat dinner he gingerly came out of hiding. Humans were odd creatures. He had not understood a great deal of what they were talking about. They seemed to know about Ichigo's depression and the reason for it but they never named it. If the situation were a bit different he might have been able to ask them but the situation did not allow for that. Hearing the conversation caused him to be more curious and more confused. Maybe he should ask her but the close call today made him wary of pushing her._

_Ichigo came in, slipping the door quietly closed behind her. "Sorry, all I could get you this time were some cookies. You will have to go get something else if you really want to eat."_

_"It's fine. I'm not that hungry, we had a good lunch." He took the goodies from her._

_"Sorry!" She dropped next to him. "I was afraid to try anything with them being so angry with me."_

_"I said it's fine." He smiled._

_Ichigo leaned her head against his shoulder, unexpected move throwing him off a minute. He slipped an arm around her waist. The warmth of her body seeped into him. It felt so good to hold her this way. He could feel each breath she took. He felt her breath catch in the neck of his shirt and funneled down over his skin each time she exhaled. It was unusual that she initiated the contact, he was always the one to do it. Taking just a little risk, he pressed his lips to her forehead.  
"Thank you for staying." She lifted her head backup. "I felt better having you here, even if you did have to hide under the bed."_

_She had a far away look in her eyes that he disliked - The only place he wanted her to be was with him. She made him feel so strange and so wonderful all at the same time. She made him crazy but kept him sane. Normally he was fine, did not mind if she thought of other things, but today he only wanted her to look at him. Already he allowed her to be dragged away by her family for the evening. He was finished sharing her - He wanted her to be his and only his, just for a while. Since the day he met her he had been forced to share her, able only to look but never have. After all the times she had pushed him away she finally asked him to stay. He did not want to let go of that. Today was a jealous day, not that she would understand that. Before he thought about it he tackled her onto the bed, forgetting about her back.  
"Ow!" Ichigo winced._

_Kisshu release her immediately. "I forgot, I'm sorry!"_

_"It's fine, you just startled me. I wasn't prepared for it." She punched his arm playfully and shoved him off._

_"Are you alright?" He regretted his impulsiveness, guilt setting into his gut._

_Ichigo dropped a blanket over his head. "Eat the cookies under there while I change."_

_Kisshu obeyed and waited. He chewed on the cookies, chocolate. Even with the blanket over his head he could still hear the distinct rustle of her pulling off her cloths and then dragging on the nightgown. His heart fluttered a bit and he took a in deep breath and let it out slowly. How she did torture him in little ways like that. It was his fault though for letting his mind wander too much. Finishing the cookies he waited until he was sure she was finished before he took the blanket off. She grinned lazily at him as she climbed over him into the bed.  
She snuggled down next to him and gave him a playful little tug towards her. He followed her direction and laid down beside her. Ever so slowly, the Ichigo he knew was resurfacing. The brightness in her eyes, that special something inside her, the girl he adored. More than anything he wanted to see her light, her brightness return completely. Somehow, he wanted to help bring her back and put her smile back the way it should be. No matter what, she was perfect. She was so lovely, more than she understood._

_"You know. . ." His devilish smile appeared, "They are bigger than they were a year ago."_

_"What are bigger?" She arched a questioning but tired eyebrow._

_He arched his eyebrows and slid his finger along the neck of the nightgown. His teeth sunk lightly into his lower lip as his eyes explored the little bit he had revealed. Color rushed to her cheeks as her hand darted over her chest. Before he knew what happened he found himself on the floor. Ichigo rolled over, furiously throwing her body over. She hissed, muttered, and huffed to herself. She was even beautiful when she was angry with him, that was partly why he did it._

_He peeked up over the bed, chin resting on the edge, "Ichigo. . ."_

_"No, your sleeping on the floor tonight." She said flatly and yawned._

_Kisshu twitched as he noticed the ugly, deep purple bruise peeking out from under the nightgown. He really hated seeing her perfect body marred that way. Had he stepped in sooner she would not have been hit. Watching from a hiding place, he had been there all along. After he helped the nearly catatonic girl get ready after her father banged on the door to tell her she was nearly late, Kisshu followed her as always. Seeing that guy go near her irritated him more than it should have but he had been sure she could handle it. At the time he did not realize she could not deal with the little pest. It was strange that she had not been able to take him._

_"Wouldn't you miss me too much, honey?" He cooed._

_"No, I would finally have my bed back." She yawned again._

_Kisshu pulled him self back up and cautiously moved in behind her. "But we sleep together every night."_

_"Don't phrase it like that!" Her ears reddened._

_His lips caressed her earlobe, "Then how do you want me to phrase it, Koneko-chan?"_

_"Go to sleep, Kisshu." She muttered._

_"I want a goodnight kiss first." He chimed._

_She was quiet a moment, "Well, alright. If it will make you shut up and sleep."_

_"Really?" He nuzzled closer. "You will let me have one?"_

_She shifted toward him, reaching a hand up and caressing his ear playfully. "Just one. Then you have to go to sleep."_

_Their lips met for a short but delicious kiss._

_"Sleep well, Kisshu - My under the bed friend." She purred and nestled into her pillow._

_The only reason he got his way so easily was because she was sleepy, but that was just fine. He nuzzled against her body, cuddling close, careful to avoid the bruise. Humans called what they were doing 'spooning' or something like that. Being able to cuddle up with her was so wonderful. He hopped they could stay this way forever.  
Surprisingly, Ichigo was already asleep, he could tell. She must have been exhausted to be asleep so soon. His fingers raked through her mellifluous red hair as he watched her sleep. She looked angelic and peaceful as she slept, so beautiful. Feeling safe that she was asleep, his lips moved carefully over her shoulder. Her skin was warm and soft as he kissed her. Gingerly moving her hair away, he planted several more kisses on her neck. He would get slapped if she knew about it, but she was sleeping._

_Fingers gliding gently over her skin, he traced the line of her shoulder blades. He needed to work on her more. Her bones stuck out a bit too much. She was still perfect, flawlessly beautiful - it was just that she was too thin, a bit unhealthy looking. It was likely because she was underweight that this bruise was so bad, there was nothing to shelter her bones from the impact.  
Truthfully he was starting to feel that lethargy crawling its way up as well. Blinking hard a few times he noticed how good closing his eyes felt. Even though he wanted to watch her sleep a bit more he was starting to feel like giving in to the tempting allure the voice from slumber land was making. If given the choice he would pick Ichigo but his body might head for sleep. A yawn tugged his mouth open and he gave in to a little stretch. His eyes reluctantly drifted closed.  
Ichigo rolled over and draped an arm over him. It startled him just enough to awaken him. How long, or if, he had been asleep he was not sure. It seemed like only a second ago his eyes closed, but who knew. The clock was behind him and he did not feel like trying to see it. She nudged closer against him making his heart beat a little faster. A smile moved onto his face. After the time they spent together she was really getting used to him. Just maybe, if this continued, she would eventually feel the same way about him that he felt about her. Perhaps she would come to love him as he did her. In time she would understand how deeply he loved her.  
Slender fingers twined into his shirt. He could tell she was asleep but she had to be dreaming. He could see the rapid movement under her eyelids and her breathing had changed from normal. She made a strange little noise like a whine. A tear trickled down her nose and landed on his chest. He frowned - was she crying? Her cute face contorted into a fitful frown._

_"Please. . ." Ichigo whimpered, "don't. . ."_

_He kept his voice low so it was not likely to wake her. "Don't what?"_

_"Kisshu. . ." Her fists wound into his shirt more tightly. "Don't, don't fight him. . . don't. . . I don't want you to die! Please don't die!"_

_Could she be dreaming about his fight with Deep Blue? Off hand that was the only thing he could think of that it might be._

_"I don't want you to die, don't fight them. You need to go while you can!" She buried her face in his chest and kept talking frantically but incoherently._

_Kisshu flinched - Did she say Aoyama? It still stung to hear that name come from her lips. It was impossible to tell if she said it or not the way her face was pressed against him. Hooking a finger under her chin he tipped her head a little so he might have a chance of hearing her better. The face she was making upset him - it was a horrified, fearful look. Those faces were cute, everything about her was, but he would rather see her at peace.  
Her whimpers were starting to get loud. The volume she used each time she spoke kept raising. Hearing her frightened that way set his protective instincts into drive. If he could he would fight to end her suffering, but no one could fight off a dream - He could not even fight off her sadness, so a dream was even farther out of his reach. With her becoming louder though, he knew he needed to calm her down quickly before her parents heard her. It would be bad if they suddenly came in._

_Another set of tears fell from her eyes. "I'm scared!"_

_"It's alright, Ichigo. Everything is fine."_

_She clung to him tightly. "I'm scared. . . Please don't leave me here alone! Please don't leave me, Kisshu."_

_"Ichigo. . ." He frowned, "I won't. I won't leave you."_

_Her tears were starting to get his nightshirt wet._

_He leaned in, whispering his words in a nearly hypnotic tone. "Don't be afraid anymore. You are safe. . . the fight is over, your safe, and I'm with you. Everything is fine now." He kissed her temple. "You can sleep peacefully now, I won't leave you."_

_Ichigo's cries began to quiet and then finally stopped. Kisshu ran his fingers through her hair, stroking her like a cat, to calm her. She did not seem to have awakened at all, even though she was talking to him. Whether or not his attempt at vanquishing the dream with a bit of suggestion worked, he could not be sure. The tears had ended but he just hoped her dream had as well. Whatever she was dreaming about, it was not a good dream, and he only wanted her to have sweet dreams.  
Kisshu tilted his head and pressed his lips to hers. She seemed to be struggling with herself, even in dreams. She told him to go and then pleaded with him not to leave her - It was just like she had done in her waking hours. He wondered what created such conflict within her. Even her dreams caused her problems. If he could he would give her good dreams every night so she could awaken with a smile. Tomorrow he would decide what to do. Things were starting to get out of control._

* * *

With both Kisshu and Ichigo asleep once again, neither of them saw the figure hiding in the shadows next to the closet. Kisshu never saw him since he never turned around. If he had turned around he might have seen the shadowy outline of a man with blue eyes. He watched the two of them for a few more minutes, moving closer to look into their faces. These two, he found very interesting. For now he would only toy with the girl but he would get around to the alien later on. He was already sure these two would make good play things.  
A gloved hand tucked a few wayward hairs behind Ichigo's ear. As of now, she had no idea how useful she would be to him. He tucked the blanket up around them neatly. These two would make a good addition to his collection. Having an alien would be even more intriguing - He had never had an alien before. The younger alien would also play a roll for him, but a different one than these two. None of them knew it yet but they were soon to be his puppets. Already he had most of the strings in place to attach, he merely had to pull them a bit tighter. Once the strings were pulled tightly enough their bodies would slowly die and become easy to maneuver, then he would have his marionettes. He would turn their skin cold and their eyes unseeing.  
It would be difficult to wait, but the timing had to be right. Moving now would spoil things. Good things came to those who were wise enough to wait. He ran a finger over the alien's long ear. They would both make beautiful additions to his collection. After he was finished using them as puppets he would certainly put them under glass and display them. He was a collector of things like these, after all. With one Mew Mew and one alien, they would be the rarest of his finds. With a final look at the pare, he disappeared from the room, leaving them to their peaceful slumber.

* * *

Kisshu woke up to a muffled, quiet, subdued scream, but a scream none the less. Anyone outside this room would never have heard it, but he was right next to her. Ichigo was wriggling around wildly, swatted at her arm, running her hand through her hair, and finally seemed to throw off some invisible attacker. She sprang over him and hit the light. She was back in place next to him again before he could blink.

"Iie! It's huge!" Wide-eyed she scooped up a shoe and dashed it against the foot of the bed. More awake, and with a fixed point to look at, he finally saw what all this was about. The body of a spider well over the size of a quart sat mangled on the bed. Ichigo stared at it as the body twitched and a few of the legs moved like a broken robot. One of the legs lay detached a little ways away from the corpse. She made a quiet whimpering sound as all the twitching caused it to roll over. Her eyes were huge and horrified as she watched it.

"Ichigo?" The expression on her face worried him.

She raised the shoe again and brought it down on the creature, finally ending the twitching. The final blow caused two more legs to be removed and a watery looking spot on the shoe. Ichigo looked at the spider and then at the shoe. He could almost see the wheels turning in her head but had no idea what she was thinking. She looked so horrified somehow. Her grip on the shoe was so hard that her fingers were turning white.

"Ichigo. . ." Kisshu took hold of the shoe and pulled it from her iron grasp. "It's dead now." She kept staring at it with a horrified, frightened, cloudy expression.  
"I shouldn't have done that, I should have let it go. I hit it before I'd really even thought about it." She hugged her arms and leaned over like she had been punched.

"It's only a spider, Ichigo. Calm down."

"After I hit it I knew I shouldn't have. . . but I couldn't leave it that way to suffer. Nothing should have to suffer." Was she going to cry?

"Listen, it's really ok. It was only one spider." He leaned over to see her face better.

She was still staring at it. "Why do things have to die? Why does anything have to die?"

Kisshu got up and retrieved a tissue from her desk and used it to throw the body of the spider away, out of her sight. Something was really wrong with her. He really needed to find out what happened to her while he had been gone. Whether she told him or not, he needed to find out what went on to upset her this way.

"Why, Kisshu? Why does everything I do end up hurting someone? Why does everything I touch die? Why do I always do things wrong?"

Kisshu switched off the light and sat back on the bed. He pulled her up into his arms and put her head back on the pillow. He kissed her forehead, then her cheeks, and finally her lips. He stared into her eyes as he leaned over her little body. Thank goodness she was not crying but she might as well have been. His chest felt tight just looking at those sad eyes and not understanding what made her like this.

"You know, Ichigo, I looked at that spider. . . I'm pretty sure it was a poisonous one. You probably saved us both from getting bitten."

Her eyes widened, "Really?"

"Mhmm!" Truthfully, he was lying. He had no idea what that spider was but he was pretty sure it was a harmless one. It did not matter though, she already looked better.

He was nearly asleep, inky clouds almost covering him, when Ichigo tugged at his sleeve. Kisshu opened one eyes slowly, "Eh? What is it?"

"Kisshu, aren't you pretty much immune to poisons like that?"

His eye twitched, "Eto. . ." He grinned, "Who knows." He promptly shut both eyes again.

That did it! This was the end! He had to find out what happened to her. Whatever this secret was he was going to find out about it. Two times in one night she had acted strangely. Something clearly happened and he had endured all he could stand. The fact was, he was afraid to ask her. She seemed so unstable tonight that it worried him. He did not want to do anything to push her any further over the edge.  
There were other ways for him to find out what he wanted to know. He could be as sneaky as the next guy, and better. All that time he investigated earth gave him a good idea about how to begin. Pai was the expert at investigation but he was not so bad himself. There were always things to do to get information. Tomorrow he would at least begin to find out what made Ichigo like this.


	8. Explosion Waiting to Happen

_Kisshu leaned over her, gently caressing her cheek to awaken her. "Ichigo, wake up."_

_Brown eyes slowly opened, she greeted him with a sleepy smile. Her dark eyelashes were long and curled. Her face was smooth and perfect at any distance. Ichigo gave a feline little stretched, arms reaching high over her head, and she let out a satisfied meow. It was hard not to laugh at her cute little morning habits. This girl was forever amazing him, he never knew what to expect from her. She was like a splash of color in a gray world, unique in every way. She was a wildcard with something new to show him every day.  
Slender arms suddenly wrapped around his neck and tugged him downward. He resisted only a second before he gave in, allowing his head to rest on her collarbone. Her arms folded around him. He liked this. Maybe he should wake her up more often. Ichigo did not seem to think through her actions in the mornings. She was much more affectionate and carefree when she was not fully awake. He loved watching her rush around madly in the mornings, desperately trying not to be late, but this might top that. This was already turning out to be his favorite morning. Maybe he should awaken her every morning from now on. Waking up was pleasant this way, very nice, better than he could have hoped for. These types of mornings should always happen._

_He lifted his head to look at her. "Listen, it's time for you to get ready for school. I need to tell you something though, so I need you to be awake enough to remember it later."_

_"Hmm? What is it, I'm awake."_

_"Alright." He brushed a bit of hair out of her eyes, letting his fingers glide over her skin. "I wanted you to know that I won't be here when you get home from school today."_

_Her eyes widened, "What? Why not?"_

_"There are just some things I have to do. I will be back after a while."_

_"I see." She nodded._

_Kisshu nuzzled his cheek to hers. She disliked that he would not be waiting for her today, he could tell. Maybe it should not have, but it pleased him to no end that she was displeased over it. It made him tempted to reconsider and just stay here, but he was determined. Today was going to be dedicated to detective work. Pai may have been the expert at research, but he was not so bad himself. He could find things out just as well, it's what he did before they came to earth. Kisshu could play the spy game as well as anyone when he wanted to. There was nothing that would change his mind about finding his answers. . . well, maybe not nothing. . . but almost nothing._

_Cupping her face in his hand he planted a long, succulent kiss on her lips. "Have a good day, honey!"_

_A little thrill rose inside him as she hesitated, but gave in, returning his kiss. The tips of her fingers slid along his neck. He pulled away and glided into the air. Before he allowed her to convince him to stay, he needed to go. For one more brief moment he drank in the conflicted mixture of expressions on her face before he left, leaving her to get ready for school._

* * *

Her heart was still pounding as she went to school. Everything was so confusing now, it was hard to know what she even felt. In such a short time Kisshu's and her relationship had become so much more complex. She never would have thought things would be this way if someone had told her about it a few months ago. He had changed so much from a year ago. She used to be afraid of him, his disconnected, violent, and unstable ways made him hard to read. He still had his wild temper but he seemed more able to control it now.  
Of course, a year ago they had been enemies too. Now that she thought about it, things must have been confusing, and conflicting to him then too. They were enemies. . . but the more she thought back on it the more she was sure he had feelings for her from the beginning. Having feelings for someone and having them be an enemy must have been more than difficult. She understood just a bit of what those feelings must have been like, it happened to her in a way as well. The person she loved had turned into an enemy she had to fight. That had been the most confusing, horrific, and unsettling things she had to deal with. Reconciling her love for someone she had to battle was so much more than she could deal with. She could somewhat understand why Kisshu behaved so erratically.  
Ichigo found herself hoping he was not gone for terribly long. She already missed him in a strange sort of way. The way he was talking she really could not be sure how long he would be gone. She had really wanted to push him for details, but she kept quiet. At the time she was too sleepy to carry on any type of intelligent conversation anyway. It was hard to even guess what it was he had to do. She hoped he was not going to get into any trouble. If he was she did not want to know.

"Oh!" She gasped, clutching desperately at her head, knees giving way beneath her.

She knelt on the ground, curled into a ball, desperately hopping the terrible pain would release its hold on her soon. All morning her head had been throbbing but this was so intense. It hit suddenly, increasing the ache so sharply it was like a knife stabbing into her brain. The world was getting dark as the penetrating pain continued. This hurt so much it was making her dizzy even though she was already on the ground.

"Ichigo!" She heard Moe and Miwa yell as they came running to her side.

The dizziness began to lift as she felt their hands on her. They were questioning her but their words slurred together. Light started filtering back in slowly. She let them hold her steady. The pain was beginning to fade back to a dull ache. The knife was pulled from her head, at last. She could begin to breathe again. Ichigo worked to steady herself.

"Sorry," Ichigo laughed nervously. "I did not eat yet this morning, I must be a bit anemic or something."

Moe riffled through her bag and pulled out a packet of wheat crackers and ripped it open. "Then eat these quickly!"

Ichigo chewed on a cracker obediently. "Thanks, I'm doing better!"

Miwa took her by the arm. "Let's get you to the nurse's office."

Ichigo shook her head but wished she hadn't. "No, I'm fine. Let's just walk to school before we're late!"

The three of them walked briskly in the direction of school, the two girls supporting Ichigo as they went. The red head still seemed very shaky on her feet but she was clearly making an effort to hide it. None of them noticed the set of blue eyes drilling into them even though he was fairly close. A smile creased the man's smooth features. She was a brave little puppet, wasn't she? That look of pain she had amused him. By the time he was finished she would have felt a great deal more pain than that. They would both need to suffer. He was really going to enjoy draining all that spirit she had, tearing it out of her piece by piece. When he ripped her apart her lover would suffer too though, that was the delicious part. For now, she was the only one in pain, but not for much longer. Seeing a look of pain on the alien's face would be amusing too. They would make such perfect puppets. He did have to wait a bit longer though, these things took time.

* * *

Kisshu hovered in the sky scanning the crowd. He needed a face to borrow for a while. Already, he had been looking for some time without luck. Taking the face of a model from a magazine would not work, he needed the face of a regular person. So far he had not found one that he could live with yet. If he had to look like someone else for a while he had to be able to be something other than repulsed by the appearance. Maybe he was being overly picky, but he at least wanted to look like someone his own age. The plan would work better that way anyway.  
A boy walked alongside the shop he was hiding on – That would work, he thought. Schools were starting to get out, that must have been why he finally found something. The teen had light brown hair, with a face and body similar to his own. Had he been born a human he might have looked a bit like that. Good enough.  
He held up the pendant and his body slowly morphed into the illusion. Illusion complete he hurried to the Mew Mew's secret hideout. If he was going to find anything out, that would be the place. That was why they had the café to start with, to get information. Kisshu would just use that very same tactic. Surely, he would be able to find something out from her friends if he listened hard enough. There really was nowhere else he could go to get answers. Of course, going there with his natural face was out of the question, so he borrowed a face.  
Kisshu glided down in the trees to observe for a minute. The café was already open but he might wait a while before he went inside. After a few minutes several more girls went inside so he decided it had been long enough, he was bored. The ability to wait was not his strongest attribute. His body tensed a little, nerves were already setting in. Spying from a distance was more his style than infiltration was. Making sure to walk normally like a human, he went inside. It looked the same as always; heart shaped windows, white chairs, girly galore, and cakes everywhere. Kisshu really had to wonder how Shirogane and Akasaka handled being in a place like this for such long stretches of time.  
He picked a table near where Keiichiro made the cakes and the Mew Mews rushed in and out. It was the best possible place for him to go. The best chance for hearing what the little group said would be right here. Alarms were starting to ring in his head. The unsettling feelings and instant apprehension was coming from the unwavering stares the girls in here were beginning to give him. He sunk a little lower in his chair. It did seem odd for a guy to be in here, but did they have to stare so much? He was already a bit on edge having walked into Mew Mew headquarters, now all the normal girls were even staring at him. Was he that obviously a spy?

"What would you like?" An unfriendly voice greeted his ears.

He froze when his eyes fell on long purple hair; Zakuro Fujiwara.

"Well?" She persisted, cold expression intact.

"Uhh. . ." Was he sweating? "Tea, I'll have some tea."

"What kind?"

"Ah! Err . . . any kind." He grinned nervously. "Whatever is easy to get to for you."

She narrowed her eyes, "You don't care what kind?"

He grinned and shook his head, "No."

"Fine." She dropped the notepad into the apron pocket. "I'll bring you Akita Sencha."

Kisshu began to breathe again once she left. That girl was intimidating. He always hid it from her, but she always worried him. Her cold, unresponsive manner made her impossible to read. Of all of them, she was the last one he wanted to run into while he was in disguise. That girl had an uncanny way of seeing through things, most of all when you did not want her to. She had a nasty habit of figuring people out. If anyone would spot him, his fake little illusion, it would be her. He hopped she did not notice!  
Kisshu tensed as he noticed a girl walking up to him. He wondered what she could possibly want from him.

"Hi!" She instantly blushed when his eyes fell on her. "I-I didn't know you came here, Hakai-kun."

He stared at her blankly. "Sorry, I'm not Hakai. I'm just here to wait for someone."

A second girl joined her. "Oh, you're definitely Hakai! We would know you anywhere!" She grinned and slipped into a chair next to him, "We're your biggest fans at school!"

"F-fans? W-what are you talking about?" Kisshu stuttered.

"At school!" A third girl moved in. "We watch you every day! We know everything about you; your favorite food, favorite color, favorite drink, fav-"  
Kisshu interrupted her nervously. "I'm not Hakai, girls! Sorry to disappoint you."

"Are you hiding from someone then, Hakai-kun? You don't want anyone to find you?" A fourth girl asked from behind him.

He jumped, icy chills ran up his spine as he realized they were starting to surround him. This was looking bad for him, he really picked the wrong face to take. The obsession in their voices and in the "come-hither" looks they were giving him made him want to blot for the door. Kisshu gulped and tried not to panic. So this was what it was like to have stalkers? Maybe he understood why it used to annoy Ichigo so much. These girls were creeping him out already. Chills of terror ran through him as the girl behind him started playing with the tips of his hair. Where did these girls all come from? This was like a nightmare!  
"Hey, I want to touch his hair too!" One girl whined.

Kisshu's hands shot up, "Wait!" He chuckled as he tried to think of something to say. "None of you should touch my hair because I just washed it! You see, I use a special shampoo and you might be allergic to it!"

"Awww!" They chorused loudly.

"You're worried about us! You really are sweet, Hakai-kun!" She giggled.

Lettuce brought over a cup filled with tea, "Here you go!" She said sweetly.

"T-thank you." He stood up quickly, swiveled around the girls, and whispered in Lettuce's ear. "Please, help me! They're starting to swarm!"

Lettuce looked over the gathering groupies and smiled nervously. "There really isn't anything I can do. . ."

Kisshu twitched, "Really? I was afraid of that." He slipped back into his seat and quickly took a sip of tea. He was pleasantly surprised at the taste, it really suited him, he already liked it. Zakuro actually judged him perfectly! This was just what he needed to calm him. His brow began to twitch as chairs started screeching into place around his table. The once empty table had suddenly become crowded. He sat still, terrified to even move. They were closing in. Somehow they managed to fit nearly the entire group of people in the café around his small table. Were they all fans of that guy? Why had he picked this face? Why? Was it even worth it to try to stay here? He took another sip of tea to calm his already fraying nerves.

A girl snatched the cup from his hand. "This is wrong! That's not the tea you ordered." She thrust it into Pudding's hand as she went by. "You brought him the wrong tea. I can tell that is Akita Sencha! He always drinks Anxi Benshan oolong tea!"

Kisshu watched his cup running away with Pudding. "But. . ."

"You are too nice, Hakai-kun! If they bring you the wrong tea, send it back! You don't have to drink something you don't want just because they brought it."  
"But. . . I. . . liked. . ." He saw his tea vanish and his shoulders drooped.

"Don't worry, we will take care of you!" The girl closest smiled at him.

As she walked by, Lettuce shot him a sympathetic smile. At least someone cared that he was suffering.

"So, Hakai-kun, what did you come here for?" A girl on his left asked.

Zakuro appeared from the doorway carrying a cup. She walked, or rather stomped, to the table and plunked the tea down hard enough to cause some of it to slosh over the sides. Her cold eyes leveled him, drilling into him. He sunk a bit lower in the seat. She was mad at him. He said a quick thank you to her before she stormed away again. Kisshu's mind raced. He could handle this situation. He was a powerful alien, a warrior, a fighter. . . surely he could handle a bunch of girls! He was better than this! They could not get the better of him this way!

Kisshu pasted on a sultry smile, "Actually, why don't all of you tell me about yourselves?" He pointed to the girl nearest him on his left. "Starting here, and work around. Each of you tell me a bit about yourselves."

There, they would be distracted this way forever. It was perfect! All he had to do was pretend to pay attention to them while he listened to what the Mew Mews talked about in the kitchen. These girls would prattle on about themselves and it would give him an excuse to stay here for a long time. Alone he stuck out, but now he was just another piece of this place. With all these girls chattering the Mews might not even think twice about talking openly, sure no one would listen in on them. He could still turn the tables on this nightmarish ordeal. Nothing got the better of him!  
Kisshu let the girls carry on, and on, adding in an occasional nod or acknowledgement that he was listening. He was not listening, but he could pretend with the best of guys. The trick was to listen just enough that you knew when to nod your head or give whatever response needed. Unfortunately, this had been going on for at least three hours already. His limitations were begging to show themselves. This was all very annoying and the Mew Mews had not said one thing of any use so far. He ran his finger over his temple. It might be time to surrender and admit defeat for the day.

"You know, I really miss Ichigo-san! Lettuce sighed.

Kisshu's ears perked.

"I do too! Ichigo has been gone for so long! Are you sure we should leave it like this, Zakuro-oneesan?" Mint questioned.

This might be it! "Sorry," Kisshu held up a hand. "I've had a headache all day. Please don't stop talking, but would you all lower your voices a bit for me?"  
He smiled as they obeyed. Finally, he might get something! It was a good thing for him his hearing was so much better than humans, but he wanted to quiet the girls just to be sure he heard every word from now on. If this was his chance he did not want to miss it.

"Ichigo needed to have some time to work things out on her own. Being here was too much for her. There were too many memories for her here. She has to deal with things herself, we can only do so much to help. We already tried to help her but she pushed us away." Zakuro sounded more down than what was normal for even her.

"But, should we really just leave her alone?" Lettuce had a sad tone to her voice.

"Yes, for now. She needs time. I understand her need to be alone and grieve because she lost him." Zakuro paused. "We need to let her be alone a bit longer. However, in a little while, if she is not improving at all, we will have to drag her out. She has to deal with things, but she can't let it eat her alive either. We already lost enough, we can't let her die inside as well. "

Kisshu tried to hide his puzzled frown from the girls, forcing his brows up. Just what was all of that supposed to mean? What were they talking about? Too many memories? Be alone and grieve? She lost 'him'. . . but who was it she lost? Could it be the Blue Knight? Did that Aoyama guy dump her? Could that be why he was not around? That might make sense with her behavior, but not completely. That might have been part of it, but there seemed like there had to be more. . .

All thoughts were suddenly lost. His spine tingled as he felt the distinctive motion of a girl's hand sliding onto his knee. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Self-preservation reflexes kicked in and he bolted upright so fast that the chair he had been on clattered to the floor. Multiple wide eyes stared at him in silence. At least he remembered to keep his feet on the ground, they would really be staring if he were floating.

"Wow, look at that!" He pointed out the window.

All eyes turned to see what he was pointing to, and when they turned back there was a blank space where he had been.

Kisshu ducked into the kitchen where Akasaka and the Mew Mews were. He was frantic, beyond panicked. Things like this were not supposed to happen to him. What was wrong with those girls? None of them even knew him! Was he not the one who was supposed to do things like that? It was not supposed to be done to him! This was insanity! Going to the enemy, or past enemy, might not be the wisest move but it was the only one he had. He wanted them to keep talking but his need to live was stronger than his need for answers.

Kisshu raced to the one who was most likely to have mercy, the only male in the room. "Please, help me! Don't tell them I'm in here! Ple-" He dropped to the floor behind the counter, next to Akasaka when he heard them coming.

"Sorry to bother you, but did a tall boy with brown hair, handsome face, dreamy eyes, and a cute smile come this way?"

Keiichiro spoke quickly, maybe to be sure Pudding didn't say anything, "No, sorry. Only employees can come back here."

The group hurried away like a stampede of horses. Kisshu's heart rate began to slow back down to normal. At the moment he felt rather sorry for the boy he borrowed this face from. That guy must have to live with this kind of torture all the time. What must his life be like? Even this long was too much for Kisshu to handle. He could not think about a whole life going like this.

"Thank you, you really saved me! I'm eternally grateful!" Kisshu grinned and mused at the irony of that statement.

"Why are you here anyway, if not to be fondled by a bunch of girls?" The rich, Mint Aizawa leaned over the counter to see him.

Kisshu gritted his teeth in a smile, but he would rather have strangled her. "I was supposed to wait for someone here." He was sticking to that lie if it killed him.

* * *

Ichigo stretched a bit. It had been a long, trying day. She spent a bit of time in the nurse's office because Moe and Miwa refused to let her do anything else. The pain in her head was still there but it was nothing like it had been for those terrible minutes. In the back of her mind, she wondered if it could be the beginning stages of what Mew Aqua would do to her. Had Masaya had these sorts of things happen to him? She hopped not. Things had been strange for her today, even before today. Like her dream last night. Was it just her subconscious fears, perhaps?  
She did remember the dream she had - It was hazy, but she remembered. She remembered the fear she felt. It was a dark dream. People kept dying around her. Try as she might, she could not stop it - Left and right people were falling. She could never reach any of them in time. The man in black kept killing them before she could stop it. He was a stranger to her, she had never seen him before, but the mask would have kept her from recognizing him even if she knew.  
At first it was people she did not know but it slowly began turning into people she knew. No matter what she did they kept dying. Aoyama appeared and tried to help her. The masked man advanced toward him - Ichigo got in his way, tried to cut him off but he was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Before she could stop it, he thrust a sword through Masaya, killing him too. She fought him but she could not even catch a hold of him. Everyone she cared about was being cut down and she could not stop it. Her screams echoed endlessly around her until she could hear nothing but her own tears. All that surrounded her were the bodies of those she loved.

"It's ok, Koneko-chan! I'll protect you." Kisshu appeared by her side, swords drawn.

Horror and fear swept over her. She pleaded with him not to fight, tried to warn him not to defend her, but he was not listening. She held him, clung to his arms, screaming at him. Before she knew it the man was everywhere, surrounding them. All she knew then was that it was hopeless and there was nothing she could do. The last person she had would soon fall at her side - It was hopeless. She didn't want to lose him and she did not want him to die. After that she closed her eyes, unable to watch. The dream got really hazy after that. She could not remember how it ended.  
Thinking of it made her angry with Kisshu, even though it was a dream. How could he defend her when it was hopeless? He would do the same thing in real life. He would refuse to run and he would just end up suffering with her. Sometimes she could just kill him. She should have let him go home when she had the chance. Then again, if that had happened, at least she would have had someone. If they had to die, they would have died together. But was that really the attitude to take? Not likely. Of course, part of her did want him to stay.  
She was confused about more than just her feelings about the dream. Ichigo was not sure what she wanted. What did she want from Kisshu? What was she expecting from him? Maybe she wanted things to go on just as they were, to go on this way and never change. Yes, maybe that was what she wanted. She wanted them to stay this way always. She did not want their relationship to change, didn't want time move forward. Things would be good if they stayed this way. With him, she liked things the way they were. Right now, things were good between them. She was not sure what she would do if their relationship changed - Maybe in time things could change, but she was not ready for it yet.  
What happened at the prom store was strange, nice in a way, but bad in another. At the time she had not thought about it but now that she had time to think. . . She did not want things to change, did not want to lose hold of what they had now. It felt like they were losing something yesterday. Maybe what she felt was that their friendship was changing when he kissed her that way. Maybe, somehow they were losing the simple, sweet, innocence of their friendship. She did not want to let go of what they had and something told her those types of things would change what they had now. Couldn't things, for once, just stay the same for a while?  
There were other reasons she did not want the relationship to change. Still, it was unfair, her thinking this way when she had been acting somewhat differently. She had been sending him signals without meaning to, hadn't she? Little things she did probably lead him to think she wanted something more from him. There were times the only thing she wanted was from him to just sit with her. There were times all she wanted in the world was to just relax in his arms and never move. Part of her did. . . did. . . think of him the way he thought of her. However, another part of her could not think of him that way at all. Part of her retched when she felt those types of things, retched because of her own treachery. That was a betrayal to everything Masaya's memory was. If she allowed herself to feel such feelings she was betraying his memory.  
To ever. . . love another was a betrayal. Being happy was even a betrayal of his memory. How could she allow herself to be happy when he was dead? He died because of her, so didn't she owe him her life, to forever atone for his sacrifice. Aoyama's involvement with her was why he was dead now. She loved him so deeply, with all her heart. This heart was something Aoyama possessed, and she could not give it to someone else now, even though he was gone. There was not enough left of her heart to give to anyone anyway.

"Ichigo, I made cookies today! Would you like some?" Her mother smiled at her.

"Not right now. Maybe later." She would save that for when Kisshu got back so he could have them. Then again, he might not get back tonight at all. It sounded a bit like he would be gone for a while. Tonight, likely, she would be sleeping alone. She settled down more into the couch. She had not been paying attention to the movie her parents were watching at all. It might have been interesting but she did not know. She spent a lot of the day with them after she got home. Tomorrow was a Saturday so she could relax.

She yawned and stretched. "I think I will go take a bath now and then go to bed."

"Don't you like the movie? We thought it would be fun for us to watch together!" Her father wined.

"It's only a few minutes from being over and I'm tired." Ichigo gave her parents a quick hug. "Night."

"Good night!" They chimed.

Ichigo turned the corner and stopped. For some reason she wanted to know what they might say. It was unusual of her to do this and she did not know why she suddenly decided to. It was not like she expected them to say bad things about her. For some reason she just wanted to stay a moment to find out what they were thinking.

"She seems a bit better today. . . Do you think so, Shin?" Her mother asked.

"Yeah, I think so. At least she did not stay in her room all day like normal, that is a good sign."

Her mother smiled, "And she seems to be eating much, much better. I don't think she has gained any weight back yet, but it's something."

Shintaro slipped his hand into Sakura's. "Little by little she is coming back. I'm glad to see a bit of life back in her after all this time."

"Yes, I want to see her live her life again. Maybe she is starting to realize it's alright to keep living, it's not wrong."

Ichigo pushed off the wall and tiptoed up the stairs. It was a bit painful to see them worry about her so much. Somehow they seemed to have been noticing more about her than she thought. Part of her had been believing they would not notice anything if she stayed away. It seemed like they would not know if they could not see her. She had a feeling though that they understood more than she wanted them to about her depression.

* * *

Kisshu let out a guttural growl. Today had been more than he could endure. Even though he stayed there for hours, he was no closer to finding any real answers. Would he ever figure things out this way? He was angry about a lot of things. Why did he have to sneak around to find answers? Why did he having to try to find out from these people? Why wouldn't she just tell him? Why couldn't he ask her straight out? Even the thought of asking her made him feel sick with an overdose of nervousness. Why didn't she trust him enough to tell him the truth? Enough was enough!  
Of course, admit it or not, what angered him most was that guy. Aoyama was the one she loved, he always had been. She rejected him over and over because of that guy. All those times he had his heart ripped out was thanks to that boy. If he really had dumped her after all of that. . . How dare that guy? Of course, it also angered him to think it might be for that reason that Ichigo was like this. She was hurting, and it might have been that guy's fault. Moreover, why did she have to be this upset because he dumped her? She sank into this much depression because of a jerk like him? Then again, maybe he could not talk. But did she have to love that guy so much that it made her this way? If she loved him to start with that guy never would have hurt her.

* * *

Ichigo snaked down the hall and into her room. Her hair was nearly dry, but the ends were still dripping a little. The bath had been so calming and warm she nearly fell asleep. A large white towel was wrapped tightly around her body. It was more than large enough to cover her with extra. She had to wrap it around herself twice in order to keep the excess down. Her father loved to get the biggest towels he could find. Tucked around under her arms, the towel still hit her knees. With Kisshu gone for who knew how long, it was perfectly safe to walk around like this. Tonight was her night to be alone.  
She really did need this time to sort out her feelings. She still could not decide how to feel from minute to minute. Inside she was a mess of questions with no answers.  
She sighed and shoved a few things into her closet. As long as her hair was still wet she did not want to put on her nightgown. Still, she should do it anyway. There was always a chance he would come back tonight. She had sneaked those cookies for him, just in case. If he came back, she should be in bed when he got there. The cookies would be a bedtime snack for him. Maybe she would stick a note to them in case she was asleep when he got back.

Ichigo reached for her nightgown, but froze in horror as she saw the little ripples in the air. Her heart stopped beating and she forgot how to breathe at all. He was back! She was in a towel! This was worse than normal! He appeared and their eyes locked. His mouth dropped a bit as he surveyed her. She still could not move. The look in his eyes frightened her. She saw anger in his face the moment he came in. He looked so dark and stormy. Now that he had seen her, the anger was mixing with a lot of other things. Desire and longing had mixed into the fury in his expression. This could be bad. Why was he angry anyway? What happened while he was gone?

**AN:What a development, huh? XD Ichigo has bad timing!**


	9. Timing

_Ichigo froze. The nightgown was in her hand but it would not do one bit of good. How could his timing have been worse? Why couldn't he have waited a few more minutes before coming back? His golden, seething eyes were locked hard onto her. Oh wow. . . what was that look in his eyes? That look; he looked angry but it was more than anger. Never had she seen him look at her that way before. His eyes glinted with a predatory glow as they traveled up and down her body. She shivered as she thought about the fact that she had absolutely no cover besides a towel. His golden orbs locked onto her as he slowly pursued her. She took several nervous steps back as he advanced.  
She backed warily away until her back connected with the wall. Ichigo's heart jumped into her throat. The look in his eyes. . . what was it? She could not really place it. Was he thinking about the towel too? She stopped breathing all together as he swiftly closed the preciously small distance between them. She huddled up against the wall but he just pressed closer, pinning her there. His hands took a firm hold on her arms as his eyes wandered over her clavicle and lower.  
She sucked in a sharp breath as he thrust his knee between her legs and lifted her off the floor. His eyes pierced through her with intensity she was not sure she had seen before. She was level with him, eyes meeting his, forcefully made to perch on his knee. She could feel the denim material of his jeans against her, imprinting its pattern on her inner thighs. Her heart pounded as he slid and arm around her waist and pulled her body tightly against him. His body was tense, every muscle taut, and his breathing was deeper than normal. She could feel little tremors of trepidation going through her._

_Her eyes widened, "Ki-"_

_His lips met hers eagerly, pressing harder and harder. The headache began to return as he wrapped his fingers in her hair, forcing her to stay in place. He was holding her so tightly it was beginning to be painful. It was times like these she remembered how strong he really was. The kiss was so full of desire and longing it was alarming – It was avid and full of passion but she could still feel the anger welled up beneath it. Kisshu's smooth tongue lunged into her mouth, moving hungrily over her tongue. He kissed her voraciously, almost viciously, tongue wildly thrusting.  
His free hand wandered over her, up her thigh, nearly slipping under the towel before exploring higher. She gripped his shirt, pushing against his firm chest. Ichigo twitched and trembles ran through her body as his fingers discovered the knot holding the towel in place. Panic swept over her as he tugged it free, sliding the first layer of the wrap away. She clutched at it desperately._

_She twisted away just enough to break the kiss, "Stop! Please, stop!"_

_His grip slackened as he stared at her, almost as if he had only just realized what he was doing._

_"Please!" She breathed._

_A pained frown wrinkled his face and he released her._

_She quickly gathered the fallen bit of towel back around her, tucking it back into place._

_"I'm sorry." He moved back several steps, eyes fixed to the floor. "I don't know why I. . . I didn't mean. . ." Kisshu whirled and leapt into the air, a rippling door opened for him._

_"Wait!" Ichigo lunged for him to pull him back, she did not want him to leave like this. If he left like this he might not come back. She was not even thinking very well anymore, she just knew this was not the way she wanted things to end. They needed to talk about this. Running away would not solve anything, it would just make it harder to come back together later. Some things did have to be faced right away. This was not totally his fault, she really should not expect much different of a reaction considering the circumstances._

_Unfortunately, she had not stopped him at all, she ended up taking the ride with him. Ichigo shut her eyes and clung desperately to the back of his shirt. Before she knew it her feet were on solid ground again. Her eyes opened again but she was not sure where they were. They were somewhere in town, but a secluded place.  
Kisshu whirled, "What were you thinking? You did not even know where I was going! I could have been going anywhere, the inside of a volcano for all you knew! I can't just turn around and go back once we are inside, you either go forward or nothing! Baka!"_

_"I'm sorry! I just did not want it to be that way!" Ichigo blinked back emotion._

_"Ichigo, I said I was sorry! I know you don't want that! Why do you think I left?" He growled._

_She shook her head, "Kisshu. . ."_

_"What do you want, Ichigo? What do you want me to do?" He locked eyes with her, "I messed up! I know that already!" He shook his head, "But how am I supposed to act after I've already had a terrible, confusing day, because of you. . . and I come home to see you looking like that? I was already so-"_

_Ichigo cut in, "Wait, so this is completely my fault?" She narrowed her eyes, anger percolating. "What do you mean you had a bad day 'because of me'? Because you had a bad day everything is suddenly my fault? I haven't even been with you all day, so how did everything become my fault?"_

_"It just was!" He growled. "At the very least me coming back to find you naked was your fault!"_

_"I am not naked! I have a towel on! I just got out of the bath, thank you very much!" She hissed._

_"You're always calling me a pervert, but you don't see me running all over everywhere with nothing but what you have on? No!" He gritted his teeth._

_"I was not running all over! I was in my own room! Generally, people can change in peace in their own room, but I guess I can't even do that! You just come right in without any warning at all, like you own everything!" She waved her finger under his nose. "And I don't recall giving you permission for even one thing you did a few minutes ago! I would say that does make you the pervert!"_

_Kisshu shot into the air. "Forget it! Just forget it! You're right." He dashed over the top of a building before she could say another word._

_For the past few minutes he had been fuming, did not even let her explain why she followed him, but the last few seconds brought out a bit of pain in his eyes. She already wished she had been able to hold her temper. Things ended up even worse than when she tried to stop him from leaving. Maybe it really would have been smarter to let him go. It would have given them both time to cool down and clear their heads. She had not really been thinking when she grabbed him, she just knew she did not want to see him go that way. Things ended so much worse because she chased him though._

_Panic washed over her like an ocean wave as she remembered something; she was still in a towel. That fact ended up escaping both of them during the fight. She had not even thought about it, but now she was. At the moment she did not even know where she was. Ichigo hurried for the shadows, plastering herself against the wall of a building. She could not even call for help since her phone was still in the room. This was bad; no cloths, no shoes, no way to get help. If he did not think to come get her, she would be stranded. How far away might home be? If she was careful she might be able to get back once it got a bit later. People might not be out as much if she waited until it was very late._

_Tears of frustration and panic stung the backs of her eyes. This was turning out to be the worst night she had ever had in her life, and it might even be getting worse later on. If only this was not a white towel! She did not want to try to walk home with nothing but a towel that might as well glow in the dark! She did not want anyone to see her like this! She did not want to walk home without shoes! Maybe she could turn into a cat? But that was something that only happened when she was excited, she was not sure she could just bring it on the way Shirogane did._

_A cat call and a whistle made the blood in her veins run cold and she looked up in horror. Sheer terror set in when she saw three boys coming her way, and she realized she knew two of them. Those were the college guys from before! Her mind started to spin. Why did they have to find her like this? The three sets of animal eyes were all fixed on her._

_"It's our fox!" One of them grinned._

_"What is she wearing? A towel?" He cackled. "This must be fate!"_

_Ichigo could already smell alcohol on them as they drew closer. "Get lost or I'll get my father!"_

_"Oh? Where is he at?"_

_She grimaced, they did not believe her._

_"You should come with us! We can have some fun!" The new one said._

_"Go away!" She hissed._

_They were not listening._

_These three were much more than her normal strength could handle. If she transformed she would be fine. She would not even have to fight them, all she would have to do was run. The trouble was there was no way to hide herself. Could she really transform here, in her own area? They moved in closer. The answer was yes! She had to! There was nothing else she could do! She had to transform and get away! There was no way she could stand here and let them do this to her when she had more than enough power to stop it._

_"Mew M-Agh!" She cried out as two of them grabbed her by the arms, knocking her against the wall. They cut off her transformation before it even began. One on each side, a vice grip on her wrists and upper arms. Ichigo struggled against them but was afraid to move too drastically or the towel might fall. They were so strong! If she could not free herself she could not transform._

_"No!" She tried to dig her nails into their hands but could not manage it. "Let me go!"_

_"Just be a good girl, don't fight it! Obey us and it won't be too bad for you." The last one smiled as he stepped in front of her. "You might even like it."_

_"No! Get away!" She kicked him in the shin as hard as she could._

_The back of her head irrupted with pain as he slammed it into the wall. "I just told you to be good!"_

_"Get away from me!" She yelled, but nearly gagged on the stench of his breath._

_His fingers dug into her cheeks, "Looks like we'll have to teach you to be good! I go first though."_

_He jerked her head to the side so hard she felt her neck pop. Teeth dug into her shoulder hard enough to make her scream. She struggled harder, desperate to get free long enough to transform. She had to get away! The two holding her tightened their grip with every move she made, the feeling in both arms was already gone. He was pushing her against the wall so hard she could barely get a breath. She whimpered as she felt his tongue sliding over her skin. Her head screamed and the bruise on her back ached. She could not move, not at all. His teeth sunk in again farther up her shoulder and his free hand slapped against her right thigh – The towel was covering her skin from being in contact with his hand, but for how long? His hand began to travel. Oh, god, no! No! Never in her life had she felt deeper, or more horrified terror. She did not have a chance against three of them. She did not want these animals to touch her! She did not want it! She did not want it! Hot tears streamed down her face._

_"Kisshuuuuuuuuu!" Ichigo shrieked, terror giving her voice the shrillness and volume of five girls._

_All she saw next was a flash of motion. Her attacker did not get any other chances to hurt her. The boy cried out, blood spritzing the air, the prong of the sword piercing his shoulder as Kisshu threw him back. Glowing golden eyes illuminated by the moon turned on the other two. One of them dropped to the ground as a sword crashed into the wall, narrowly missing his head. Pieces of brick fell as he jerked the sword out again. Her third captor simply released his hold on her and dove away. They did not get far. The two of them flew through the air, tossed farther away from her by Kisshu. Ichigo hugged her arms to her chest and used the wall to hold herself up. The feeling was still gone but she could at least move her arms. She tried to chase away the sickness that had been creeping over her. Her heart pounded as she watched the scene unfold before her._

_Kisshu looked crazed with rage, eyes fiery and wild. He shot bolts at them blindly, not even taking the time to aim. This was the side of him that terrified her; the fierce, unreasonable, uncontrollable, unstable, side of him. This time though, he was fighting for her and not against her. The power he possessed turned erratic when fueled by his intense rage. When he was this full of wrath he was like a tiger in a blazing frenzy, and you could not predict his actions._

_"Die! Die, you diseased vermin!" He shot another blot at them as they scurried around in terror. "I will never let you escape!" He howled._

_They were so terrified they were not even running away, just dodging the orange bolts and running in circles_

_"No one can touch Ichigo! No one!" Kisshu roared. "I will shred your filthy bodies and spread the pieces all over this city!"_

_Ichigo watched in horror. No matter how much part of her wanted to let him kill them, she could not allow it to happen. She felt violated and her body ached. More than anything, a voice inside her screamed for her to allow it, but he could not simply kill three people. On top of that, they were all making so much noise. Rationality in her brain was still strong enough to win over her emotions for now. If she did not get him away from here quickly, other people would be attracted to the commotion – If that happen, innocent people might be caught up in Kisshu's fury. On top of that, if people saw this, the two of them would be caught. Even if she was not in her Mew Mew form it would still be bad. Even worse, someone might shoot him. There was absolutely no choice, she had to stop this right now._

_She ran to him, swirled around in front of him, her arms falling around his waist. "Please, Kisshu! Please, just take me away from here! I don't want to be here anymore, please!" She took his face in her hands to force him to look into her eyes as her tears began to fall. "I'm begging you, take me away from here!"_

_"Tch!" Kisshu growled as the air rippled, accepting the swords into the unseen – The air rippled again as he grabbed her up and they vanished inside._

* * *

The dense, green leaves of a nearby tree veiled the presence of two observers perched on the branches. The moon light caught the man's blue eyes creating an eerily cold glow. A wicked smile threatened to swallow his face. Tonight had been quite a fun show. Those three were perfect dolls for the occasion. They were even too easy to control. Neither the Mew Mew nor the alien suspected anything at all. The girl really should have noticed something considering her attackers knew how to prevent her transformation. To be safe he used three of them instead of two. Those expressions on her face were so intriguing, but so was the rage that alien had. He had been a little surprised she managed to talk him away before he slaughtered the three. That girl was capable of taming even the beast of his rage.

"Marvelous!" He mused aloud.

This had been the perfect result to his placement of pawns. That performance was good enough to be on the stage. It was a classic story of the brave knight coming to save the princess in danger. Their relationship was clearly deepening. That was clear by the way she screamed his name. She had not called for just anyone, not her dead love, and not even for her father, she called the alien. Something in her believed he would come to save her, and he had. Her lover charged in and rescued his beloved. Perfect.

"What exactly was all of this about? What was the point in this? I am not sure I understand what you are trying to do." The second figure spoke up.

"Just tightening the strings." He laughed. "Slowly, I will break her mind and her spirit, grinding them under my heel until there is nothing left she can fight me with. After I break her, she will be mine. As she breaks, so will he. Once she is broken I will break him the rest of the way by using her. Simple, really."

The two of them vanished from their hiding place in the tree. For the night, he was satisfied with his progress. Already, he was starting to see the cracks in that girl. She was breaking even faster than he hoped for. At this rate he might not need to do anything more to her, she might crumble the rest of the way on her own. Either way, his plan was working perfectly. He could see a few cracks in the alien as well as that girl. The lovers would be added to his collection any time now. He would leave those three, now unconscious boys, where they were. That one might bleed a bit too much, but if he died it did not matter. They already outlived their usefulness. Some puppets were only meant to be used a few times. There were puppets and dolls one kept and some that were to be thrown away.

* * *

Kisshu set her down gently on the bed. She was safe now so he could go hunt down those humans. There was no way he would allow them to get away. Even he did not realize he was capable of this much rage. It felt like a boiling geyser was inside him begging to get out. All he wanted to do was make them pay for this. He turned to open a port when her fingers locked around his wrist.

"Please, don't go, Kisshu." He saw a tear trickle down her cheek. "Please, please don't leave me alone again."

He flinched. "Again." She was right, of course. Had he not carelessly left her alone this would never have happened at all. Her whole body was trembling, he could see it clearly, and feel it. Her fingers were like ice. Her brown eyes were still dilated from fear. Her breathing was a bit shallow. She was still holding onto the towel so hard her fingers were white.

"I'm right here. It's alright." Kisshu sat next to her and pulled her head to his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was shaky. "I am am always relying on you."

He shook his head, "No, don't be sorry for anything!"

"I'm sorry to ask, but would you take me into the bathroom? I don't want my parents to see me right now. I want to clean up."

"Sure." Kisshu let go of her, took down a pink robe from her closet, and scooped up her nightgown. "You will want these in a minute."

She nodded and let him pick her up off the bed. He opened a port and soundlessly took her to the little bathroom. She moved to the sink, picked up a washcloth and ran it under the hot water. He glided to the far side of the room and turned his back to her. Turning his back was only a gesture to make her feel secure – With his back to her, he could still see her in the reflection of the window. He was not watching out of any perverse intent this time, just concern. She really seemed so unsteady.  
She ran the cloth up and down her left arm, taking care not to miss a spot. She refreshed the cloth and started on the other arm. He watched her expression in the mirror migrate from unfeeling to one of revulsion. A shudder ran through her whole body. The cloth moved harder and progressively faster as she scrubbed her right arm frantically. She looked like she was slipping into panic. At that rate she was going to do more harm to herself than good.

Kisshu propelled himself to her side. "Easy. . . Calm down." He slipped the rag from her hand and began washing her arm off for her.

His eyes fell on her shoulder and the two large marks he had not noticed before. The welts on her shoulder were beginning to bruise in places. He flinched, were those what he thought they were? He refreshed to cloth under the hot water before gently patting the wounds with it. She jumped when he touched them but did not try to pull away. The closer he looked the more he was sure of what they were. Looking carefully, cleaning them tenderly, he checked to be sure they had not broken skin. Thankfully the skin had not been broken but there would be bruising. His anger peeked again, but only for a minute.  
All his rage had turned to guilt and the strong need to care for her. She seemed so exposed and vulnerable. All he wanted to do now was shelter her and protect her. All thoughts of any perverse nature had sunk to the back of his mind. He would not misbehave or tease her for a while. They really rattled her. He could go after those monsters later. Eventually he would make them pay for what they did. He warmed the towel under the water again and then placed it carefully over the marks.

"Why didn't you just transform?" Kisshu finally asked.

"I tried! They caught me before I could finish. I had not even gotten a hold of my pendant before they grabbed me." She shivered.

Kisshu picked up the robe, took the moist cloth off, and slipped the fluffy pink robe over her shoulders. "You should put this on, and your nightgown. I won't look, I promise."

He turned around again so she could dress. This time he also closed his eyes so he would not see her reflection. He shoved away the temptation to peek at the reflection, annoyed with himself for even thinking it. This was not the time to try anything. Already, he had done enough. If not for him this would never have happened. The sound of running water touched his sense again. He did not want to think what might have happened to her if he had not heard her scream and call his name. Leaving her alone had been careless to say the very least. All because of anger he stormed away and left her alone. He could not believe his own behavior tonight.  
Slender, trembling arms slid around his waist and her head rested against his back. He could feel the soft material of the robe against his arms. The beginnings of bruises dotted her arms where large fingers had dug into her flesh. She was still not doing well. He could feel the remaining tension in her. Her breaths still came in haggard, unsteady drags. He should never have left her. Every time he left her, in the past, or now, something bad happened. He should never have left her at all today.

"Could we go back to my room now? I'm feeling really tired. "

He turned in her arms and circled her in his own. "Yeah, we can." He noticed the towel she had been wearing was draped over the bath tub, water streaming off of it. She must have soaked it. She was trying to wash away all traces of them, he supposed. He did not blame her. It might be best that way. Maybe they should just both pretend this night never happened at all. The welts on her shoulder would be an unfortunate reminder for a while, but those would go away eventually. After that, it would be like this never happened at all. He would not leave her like that again.


	10. Fly away with you

**Fly away with you**

_His eyes opened slowly, still only slits. He felt tired from yesterday. It had been such a trying day and it just kept getting progressively worse. Sheets slid noisily under his fingers as he skimmed his hand over the bed to find her. Big golden eyes popped open when the realization pinged inside his brain that there was no one next to him, he was alone. His body jolted upright, eyes darting wildly around the room. Nothing! Ichigo was gone! She never awakened before him, never! She was too much like cat to wake up well on her own. Had something happened? Where could she be? He might not have been quite this panicked but yesterday was still running through his mind._

_Kisshus' hands trembled slightly, adrenaline already pumping through his veins as he jumped out of bed. He shrugged off his night clothes and put on the shirt and jeans she purchased for him. Sliding the window open he perched on the sill to survey the outside. There was no sign of her outside. Unfortunately he could not check the house but he was sure she was not in the house. He listened carefully but he did not hear even a sound of her presence. If she was in the house he would be able to hear something from her even if it was only the sound of her breathing. _

_He glided out the window and shot up into the sky. The thought of her being alone caused a quiver deep inside him. Even if there ended up being nothing wrong, it was fine as long as he found her. He wanted to stay by her side from now on no matter what. If there was danger, he wanted to be there to protect her. If he had a say in things, nothing would even harm her again. He did not want to lose her. _

* * *

Ichigo sat quietly on a bench in the park. The breeze whispered through the leaves of the trees and danced through her hair. It was a cool morning but she had a jacket so it was fine. She breathed deeply of the fresh air and the scent of water, flowers, and grass. The early morning sun had called to her, pulling her out of bed, and calling her to this place. A few times in the past, she had been here, but not often. She had come here several times before Kisshu arrived though. Something had been drawing her here. It was a beautiful place, and it even had a picturesque little pond. This was the perfect place to come to find a bit of peace in the world, or peace of mind.

_Sleep had not come easily to her at all and what sleep she got was fitful. Poor, tired Kisshu had fallen asleep long before she could manage to really close her eyes. Her poor exhausted hero tried to stay awake but lost the battle almost as soon as his head sank onto the pillow. It was fine that way. Truthfully she wanted it that way so she did not have to talk to him about anything. Had she started talking she might have spent the whole night crying. _

_With sleep so far out of reach, she spent most of the night watching him sleep. It stunned her the way he looked while he slept. He did have the ability to look angelic but it rarely seemed genuine. There were times he seemed far more like a devil when he tried to seem angelic, but it was a different story when he was sleeping. He truly looked like an angel; prefect, sweet, tender, and stunning. What little light there had been drifting into the room from the moon caused something of a glow on his skin. His perfect features seemed even more smooth and attractive in that light. His hair looked more like fine green glass or silk as the light caught it and made it shimmer with every breath he took. Beautiful was not a word you were supposed to use for a man but she could not think of a better description- maybe handsomely beautiful._

_Her eyes caught the distinctive flickering movement. There it was, black wings sharply contrasting the pastel color of the lake. The large black butterfly flew toward her, the slight bits of blue flecks on the bottom of the wings sparkling in the light. There it was, her little friend. It stayed at this park, she saw it every time she came. Only she knew the reasons it stay in this area._

_A few weeks before, she came here and saw two black butterflies; mates, a pair of creatures tangled in a fated love story. She had envied them their freedom to be together that time, but that was before. The next day she returned to find only one. It took her no time at all to discover why. She found the mate floating over the water's edge. Ichigo carefully fished it out in hopes it would revive, but it never did. The fated love story she envied the day before turned out to be a different fate than she first thought, a tragic fate. Why she did it, she was not sure, but she brought to dead creature home with her and kept it._

_Since then, she saw the lone black butterfly here each time she came, still waiting for her lover to come. Somehow she felt connected to that butterfly, like they shared a connection only they could understand. She pitied the little thing – It had such a short life to live, and was allowed happiness for such a short time, and now it would be alone forever. Their story was so like her own, one that showed the tragedy life could allocate. The butterfly seemed to know as well – Sometimes it would come to perch next to her on the tree._

_Ichigo watched it fly, so beautiful and yet so sad. She really identified with that black butterfly. She and the butterfly both lost their mate and could not help but stay in the places he once had been. This is what life doled out to them both, happiness for only a short time. _

_Her heart fluttered as she watched a second black butterfly join the first; the two began a gorgeous aerial dance. It was just like when she saw the two mates the first time, only this butterfly was a new one. Somehow, this little creature found her, the lonely butterfly. He found her when she had no one. Now she would not be alone. Thank goodness! Ichigo did not want the butterfly to be alone. . . Her heart began to move to the beat of their dance. _

_Her eyes followed them as they flew into the sky together. Could it be? Was it really so simple? Could she really allow things to be that simple – Allowing a new butterfly to come into her life?_

_A twig snapped and grass rustled under the feet of someone walking. Someone was coming up behind her. Could it be Kisshu? She did not turn her head to look until someone slipped onto the bench at the opposite end of her. She was almost afraid to look but when she did she did not find the person she expected._

_"Sweet Juliet!" Ichigo bolted up, ready to fight._

_"Hey," She held up her hands. "Does it really look like I came here to fight? This happens to be my favorite place too!"_

_The girl's medium length, auburn hair swayed in the breeze. The expression on her beautiful, yet childlike face was calm, almost happy. If she had intended to fight she could have done it before Ichigo knew who she was. It really did seem like she was here in no other capacity than to relax. Still, Ichigo was wary of sitting back down. She knew very little about this girl from the Crusaders so it was hard to know what to think. She did seem like the most normal out of the group. She even dressed a bit more reasonably. _

_"It is really peaceful here, one of the best places in this whole city." Juliet stared out over the lake._

_"Yes, it is." Ichigo nodded – It was a bit strange to talk to an enemy so casually._

_"I found it years ago and I come here about every morning. Being here for a while makes the day seem livable, don't you think, Mew Ichigo?"_

_"Yeah, it does." Her eyes fell to the lake. "It makes you forget about things you hate to think about."_

_"Yeah, it is a bit magical in that way, I think. A place like this has a lot of power to refresh a person's soul." Sweet Juliet drilled her with her eyes._

_ "As you say, it makes you forget about the bad things for a while. It's a bit like a drug, or maybe health food for the soul."_

_Silence fell over them and Ichigo eased back onto the bench. It really did seem like this girl was not going to try anything. She seemed relaxed and nearer to a state of happiness than Ichigo ever saw her look. Normally she seemed a bit melancholy, bored, and gloomy. She never smiled and her voice was always even and dull unless she was performing. This girl seemed so sad. It made her wonder what had happened to her in life – What sad memories did this girl hold in her heart?_

_"Ichigo!"_

_Ichigo whirled around to face Kisshu – He was using his pendant again because his ears and eyes looked like a human's, even so, it was bad. She did not want this girl to know anything at all about him. The Crusaders already likely knew too much about him, she did not want them to know anymore. She sprang up and whirled him back around, heading him in the same direction he had come. She smiled and waved to Sweet Juliet, waited until there were some tall bushes for cover, then forced him into a dead run._

* * *

After a few minute of letting her run him ragged he finally dug his heels into the concrete, acting as an anchor to stop a ship. He had been searching for an hour, looking in all the usual place, torture every time she was not there. A thousand possibilities had gone through his head over what might have happened. After being so worried about her, worried nearly to death, he wanted answers.

_"Alright! First, why did you just leave without telling me? Second, why are we running?" He locked her in his eyes, determined to get answers._

_"I'm sorry." Her eyes turned apologetic. "I thought I would be back before you woke up. You were so tired I did not want to wake you just because I needed to go on a walk." She shrugged, "As for why we're running. . . it is because she is not a friend."_

_"Not a friend?" He arched an eyebrow._

_"Yeah, that's right. I did not want to be around her."_

_"You acted like it was more than that." Kisshu did not believe her._

_"Forget it, it doesn't matter, let's just go home. I'm off today, remember!"_

_He tilted his head, "Then, since we are already out, why not do something? Where do you want to go this time, Koneko-chan?" _

_He was glad she was alright, very glad. The moment he saw her it was like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. As long as she was safe, he was happy. The fact was, he could not even be angry with her for worrying him. The moment he saw her face his heart melted, like it always did. She was too amazing, and he was too much in love to be angry for very long. She smiled and linked her fingers with him, giving his heart a little thrill. She did seem a bit odd today though. There was something in her eyes he did not understand and could not tack a name to. That look made him wonder what she was thinking. It might have been about the same things she kept secret from him._

_"Why don't we. . . I don't know. We can do anything." She had been going to suggest something and changed her mind._

_Kisshu moved closer, almost cheek to cheek with her, "Come, there must be something you want to do. Tell me!"_

_His heart flitted when she stopped him and joined her lips with his._

_"Or. . . we can go back to your room." He grinned listlessly, dazed by her sweet kiss._

_"Kisshu!" A rosy color rushed to her cheeks._

_"It was just a thought!" He chuckled jovially._

_Her fingers slid out of his hand and she began walking again. She pulled away again just as it was starting to get interesting – She always did that. He was enamored with her as he watched; red hair flowing loose in the wind, the graceful movements of a gazelle, and her skirt twirling freely around her knees. She had no idea how beautiful she really was. Too bad she could not see herself through his eyes. He pressed his lips together hard to keep from laughing when she nearly tripped herself. Well, she was still Ichigo._

_He moved in behind her, slipped his arms around her, and rested his chin on her shoulder, "Sorry, Koneko-chan! Are you mad at me now? I was only playing."_

_Ichigo leaned her head back in an attempt to see his face. "No, I'm not mad."_

_"Ok, then where shall we go? We have all day together this time, so what should we do?" He was in high spirits; he just knew it would be a good day._

_She grinned, "Surprise me! You can pick."_

_He pulled back and gave her a sultry look, "Are you sure? It might be dangerous to give me so much freedom."_

_She produced an impish look of her own, "I'll just trust you, I suppose."_

* * *

_Ichigo raced through the tall grass leaving a long trail behind her. She giggled and twirled a few times as she ran. The blue sky was cluttered with clouds. There was only the very faintest of breezes to sway the vast space of grass, flowers, and trees. Being here in a field of tall grass and flowers made her look a bit like a redheaded fairy. Kisshu pulled a peach of a tree, one for her, and one for himself. After a few more twirls she collapsed on the ground. She reclined in the sea of grass, arms tucked neatly behind her head as she gazed into the sky. He glided to her side set the fruit on her forehead. She scrambled to catching it as it rolled off. _

_"Peaches? I did not notice the trees were peach trees." She bit into the sweet flesh of it._

_"Not all the trees are, only about five. The rest are normal trees." He bit into his as well as he sat next to her._

_"How did you know about a place like this?" Ichigo's gentle brown eyes surveyed him._

_"I found it a year ago when I was here with Taruto and Pai. There is no one around forever so we could come here sometimes to relax a bit." He shrugged, "I thought you might like to see it."_

_"I do, it's wonderful!"She tore at the flesh of the peach again. _

_He let the sweet taste of the peach tickle his tongue and run slowly down his throat. Peaches might have been his favorite fruit – He glanced at Ichigo – His favorite, other than strawberries. Strawberries were the best. He smirked into the bite. He loved strawberries the most. Something made him want to kiss her now and see what she tasted like after eating a peach. If he made a move like that now though, he would get slapped._

_"Hey, have you ever played the cloud game, Kisshu?"_

_He arched an eyebrow, "The what?"_

_She drew him down next to her, "The way you play is you watch the clouds and try to find shapes in them."_

_"What kind of shapes? How do you decide who won?"_

_"There is no winner, it's just for fun. You try to find anything at all, like a rabbit, or a dragon, just anything." She grinned and stared into the sky.  
The two of them lazed on the grass and watched the clouds. Ichigo was better at this game than he was, he discovered. She saw something in nearly every cloud. Sometimes she had to really explain her discovery to him because he saw no resemblance to the objects she claimed were in the cloud. There were times he argued with her over her discoveries – After all, it was not a rabbit, it was a duck, clearly. He argued with her because it was fun. Kisshu slithered his hand toward hers and laced his finger in with hers as they watched the sky. This was what he liked._

_"Ichigo," He propped himself up on one elbow, "would you like to go into the sky?"_

_"What?" She blinked at him._

_"I mean, would you like to fly? I could take you. We could go see the clouds up close, then you'd know I was right about the duck."_

_"You mean the rabbit." She propped herself up, "But I've never done anything like that. How high are we talking about?"_

_"How high do you want me to take you?" Kisshu gave her his best obsequious, deferential look. _

_"Will you be good?" She leaned closer._

_"I am always good!" He beamed._

_She sighed, "Even though that was a blatant lie, I guess I'll try it." Her face lit up, "I've always wondered what it was like to fly like you, or the birds."_

_Kisshu leaned over a stole a quick kiss, "Then I will show you."_

* * *

Her heart was beating fast, soaring with the clouds. A few clouds flew by them. He let her run her fingers through one, soaking her hand with its water. It was truely more amazing that she expected. The wind glided over her face and down her body as they flew through the air. Up here she felt so free! It seemed like nothing could bring them down ever again. The view from up here was stunning, breathtaking, really. In the past she had seen pictures of these types of aerial scenes but it was nothing like seeing it herself. She breathed deeply of the pure, fresh air in the high altitude. She was in his arms, so she was not worried. Flying was amazing!

_"What do you think, Koneko-chan?"_

_"It's amazing!"_

_"I knew you would like it!" He laughed the happy, musical laugh she loved._

_"It feels amazing to fly!"_

_Kisshu took her by the arms, letting go of everything else._

_Ichigo paniced instantly and glued herself to him. "What are you doing?"_

_"Calm down! It's ok!" He tried to pry her off his neck. "I'll have your hands, so it will be fine!"_

_"No way!" She shook her head._

_Once again he took her into his arms so she could let loose of her hold on him. "I only want to show you something, scaredy-cat!"_

_"I am not!" She hissed._

_"Then relax and let me show you-"_

_"No!" She shook her head again, "I don't think so!"_

_He gave her a roguish smile "I thought you said you would trust me."_

_"B-but, I. . . what if I fall?" Her eyes darted from him to the ground that was getting smaller by the second – They were so terribly high._

_"What if you do? Don't you know yet?" Kisshu released her; sheer terror filled her as her body cut through the air._

_The air was pounding against her with the strength one might expect from a tornado. She could not even breathe. The air was rushing past her so rapidly she could barely catch hold of even the lightest drag of air. She could not keep her eyes open; the air rushed into her eyes so rapidly they went dry in an instant. All she could do was squeeze her eyes shut and wait._

_The fall came to an abrupt end when he caught her, one arm around her shoulders, and the other hooked under her knees. He did a few loops with her in tow and then spun with her a few more times. At the moment she was contemplating murder, but that would mean she would be falling again._

_"You!" Ichigo gasped for breath and tried to calm the harsh pounding of her pulse._

_"Don't you know yet, Ichigo?" Those golden eyes turned soft, "I will always catch you, no matter what."_

_"You know, that might make me feel better had it not been for the fact that you were the one who dropped me to start with!" She shouted into his ear._

_He winced at the volume, "You humans do these kinds of things too! I've heard about trust falls and skydiving."_

_She kept her volume the same, "In a normal trust fall you are not hundreds of kilometers in the air! And I've never gone skydiving!"_

_He laughed, "So does that mean you didn't trust me?"_

_"It means I'm thinking of killing you! I might like to fly but I do not like to fall!"_

_"By the way," a devilish glint flashed in his eyes, "I like your panties! They actually have strawberries on them! It is too cute!"_

_"Kisshu!" Her voice turned into a growl, "You looked!"_

_"I could not help but see them! Your skirt was flying all over the place!"_

_Ichigo's fingers locked onto his ear and twisted, "Just whose fault was that?"_

_"Ow, ow, ow!" His face contorted into a pained, but still smug look. "It was mine, I admit it!"_

_She made him squeal as she tightened her grip, "Why don't you say you're sorry? Then you might want to consider never doing it again!" _

_"I would, but I'd be lying if I said I regretted it."_

_She gave his ear a wicked twist._

_"OW! I regret it, I regret it!" His neck contorted trying to ease his suffering. "I could drop you again, you know!"_

_She nodded, "Yes, you could, but your ear would come with me!"_

_"Ok, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I won't look at them again!" He relaxed again once she released him. "Maybe. . ."_

_He dropped her again before she could grab his ear. Her body fell freely through the air with nothing to stop her or slow her down. She clamped her eyes tightly closed. This time, her head migrated lower and lower until she was plummeting head first like a comet toward the ground. She tried but had no idea how to fight against the power of the air to right herself. She screamed as she felt her stomach jolt into her throat and the rest of her organs beginning to migrate. When she hit the ground it would be head first._

_Ichigo felt him move in beside her, arms enclosing her waist, and pulling her against him. To her dismay he did not stop them, he simply complied with the momentum gravity already had. Reflexively, she swathed her arms around his neck and circled her legs around his waist; she buried her face deep in his neck as she waited to hit the ground, too frightened and out of breath to fight it. Any second they would be crashing headlong into the ground. _

_Her organs shifted again as the ride rotated into an upright position and stopped. Her head was swimming wildly and all she could do was cling to him as her brain desperately struggled to orient itself. Regaining equilibrium was difficult after a ride like that. As soon as she was able, she glared up at him as him body shook with laughter. He pressed his lips to hers but she did not return his feeble gesture of peace. He smirked into the kiss before pulling back in laughter._

_"Are you angry with me, Koneko-chan?"_

_"Yeah, but I can't kill you until the world stops spinning." Her face dropped into his neck again._

_"Aww! My poor kitty! You're not used to these kinds of things." He chuckled, "But they always say practice makes perfect, so maybe we should keep trying."_

_Ichigo tightened her arms and legs around him; he would not be able to drop her again._

_"So, you don't want me to let you go?"_

_"No!" She hissed._

_"Very well, but that means, since I have you like this, I can have fun with you. Right?" He placed one hand on her thigh._

_"I will strangle you! If you try anything I will definitely kill you!"_

_"But, Koneko-chan, this situation is too good to miss! Opportunities like this are so rare!" He told her, tone mysterious._

_"You will be missing a lot more than an opportunity if you don't watch it!" _

_Kisshu sighed dramatically, "Fine, but you're no fun. But go ahead and look around now."_

_Ichigo lifted her head and was stunned to find him standing on the ground. She drooped her feet to the ground and retracted her arms from around his neck, unfortunately her knees promptly gave out when she tried to stand. Sitting on the cool grass felt good though, so it was fine. Having something solid under her was the biggest relief after a free fall that she could ever have dreamed of._

_"See, I told you I will always catch you. I got you safely back down to the ground, Koneko-chan."_

_She locked her fingers around his wrist and brought him forcefully to the ground. Rage was not even an adequate word for her current emotion. Before he could respond she crawled on top of him, straddling him, and pinning his arms to the ground._

_"I swear, Kisshu, if you ever do that again I will strangle you! Strangle you!"_

_"Really?" The playful, teasing smile of his showed no hint of worry, "I don't know! It seems like what you want more is a kiss."_

_Before she could say no, he pulled her to him and rolled; this time she was the one pinned as he lay over the top of her. His long, strong fingers coiled around her wrists. She turned her head away to keep him from kissing her, but he simply turned his attention onto her ear. He wrapped his lips around her earlobe, gently sucking it in. She tensed as he nipped it, gently working it between his teeth. Heat was rushing fast into her cheeks and it was becoming hard to breathe. Why she did not resist or push him away she was not sure. His tongue began to explore the curves of her ear. Ichigo gasped as he thrust the tip of his tongue inside her ear. The feelings it sent rushing through her were so unfamiliar. _

_"What are you doing? Cut it out, Kisshu!" _

_He kissed her lips, softly at first, but then he drew her in deeply. Her arms instinctively curled around him. His body pressed closely against hers, lips drinking her in. She could not help but return his passion filled kisses. He reached one hand back and found her thigh, sliding his fingers down until he found her knee – He drew it back, bringing it higher around him. More than normal, he was being assertive, not giving her the chance to pull back. The long, tender kiss sent ripples of sweet, unfamiliar pleasure through her. Right now, she could not help giving into it. Unintentionally, she moaned into his mouth, but he answered with one of his own. It was all so strange; strange feelings, strange thoughts, and strange emotions. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest and wondered if he noticed it too. Her mind darted back to the butterfly. Was it really alright? Was it really so easy? It felt easy now, but should it?_

_"Ichigo, is this what you call. . ." His fingers traveled along her cheekbone, "making out?"_

_The blush in her cheeks deepened and she shoved him off. "Why don't we go somewhere else now!"_

_"Alright, if you want." His eyes fluttered sluggishly. _

_They were both sitting up now, staring at each other. His eyes traveled over her a moment, a dazed, lazy look in them. His eyes practically spoke the words: "anything you wish." That look was such a puppy type of look. Suddenly he seemed so compliant. It was strange how quickly he could shift; assertive one minute and flatteringly deferential the next. Her heart jumped as he threw his arms around her, tackling her back down. He cuddled up to her, head tucked under her chin._

_"We can go in a bit, but could we just stay like this just a little while?" His voice was so soft, so servile in nature that it surprised her. _

_Ichigo ran her fingers into his hair, "Yeah, we can."_

The little lovebirds were having fun! That was good, for now. They should enjoy their freedom because it would not last much longer. Sitting tall in his chair, he took a sip of the red wine in the glass. He flexed his long fingers, the fingers of a puppeteer. Already, he could feel the girl's strings beginning to connect, that was how he knew where they were now. They really had spoiled his plans for them today by running away, but that was fine. There was time. Still, he would not be able to wait very much longer before he began to act. Maybe he would go see Ichigo tomorrow. The little cat's wild spirit would turn submissive under his iron grasp. If she did not, he would crush her into tiny pieces. A devilish smile creased his lips. Maybe he would visit them both.


	11. Monster to Find Us

**Monster to Find Us**

The tall figure watched the alien and the girl as they walked. The alien's ability to disguise himself was interesting and amusing. That was indeed cleaver of him since it made it possible for him to move about freely in the human's world. Unless you knew, he would blend quite effectively into a crowd. Those two looked like an ordinary couple as they walked hand in hand. How perfect it would be to rip them apart now.

He was practically shaking with anticipation. This was going to be the first of many enjoyable ventures. It turned out he could not wait until tomorrow. The second he knew they had returned he had to go see them. The two had a nice little catnap before they returned, but they were finally back. He could finish some of what he intended to do today, but not all. There was no reason to put of till tomorrow what he could finish today. That girl would suffer a bit more today. He was going to take her with him this time!

"Just wait here and save the table. I will be right back after I order." She waved to the boy and hurried toward the establishment.

A gleeful laugh escaped him. That girl made it so simple! The outside seating at this restaurant made catching her away from her lover terribly simple. For a task like this he could have simply sent someone to bring her, but it was fine this way. Catching her himself made the hunt more enjoyable. This would be his first real demonstration for her.

Soundlessly, he moved through the crowd, eyes locked onto his victim. There would be no trouble slipping in behind her with this many people crowding around. He was rather glad there was such a crowd of potential witnesses or hindrances; that made it more interesting. No one would catch him, but the potential that they could made hunting more amusing. He let her walk inside to order. When she came back out he would be waiting for her.

The large window made it easy to watch her. Even now she had no idea her peaceful evening was just about to end. His blue eyes studied her, still so carefree and happy. Soon that expression would be gone. He would replace it with one of terror, violation, and hopelessness.  
As she came out, the door swung shut with a jingle. He waited in the little alcove of the building, a shadowy little place. With one fluid motion, he hooked her into the shadows and thrust the needle into her neck. Within a few seconds her body went pimp in his arms. The little girl was as good as his. Now began his dolls suffering and the tightening of several more strings.

* * *

A huge haze clouded her mind and she began to try to move through it. Where was she? Hadn't she just ordered food? Was she dreaming? Were her eyes even open? Ichigo blinked hard but still saw nothing, eyelashes brushing against something each time she blinked. A tight, heavy feeling of something over her wrists and ankles caught her attention as she tried to move. A metallic rattle met her ears as she shifted positions. Chains! Carefully her fingers worked over the smooth metal bindings. Her hands were shackled behind her back, a long chain extended from the irons.

Fear spiked her heart when she heard motion near her. A sudden movement cut into her neck as another chain clanked – There was something like a collar and chain around her neck too! She felt the touch of skin against her face before someone hauled her into the air and slung her over their shoulder. It was a man, she was sure; he had large shoulders and strong arms. The sound of chains dragging the floor rattled in her ears as they moved. Her senses were on overload, terror ripping and clawing viciously at her mind. She was too afraid to struggle or even speak.

She felt him shift just before she felt the sensation of falling. Icy needles crashed against her as the water rushed to engulf her. The moment her mind registered that she was in the water she began to panic and struggle against the inescapable pull of sinking. Hands and feet bound, all she could do was thrash. The collar dug into her neck as the chain dragged her back to the surface. As her head surfaced she gasped wildly for air. The wet blindfold clung to her face like soggy skin. Water slithered down her hair and face.

"What are you doing? Who are you?" She cried.

Ichigo took a fleeting, desperate drag of air as the chain on the collar went slack. Again, her body plummeted for an unknown bottom, water rushing around her. Her throat felt tight with the horrible sensation of strangulation. She struggled desperately against the chains. Something bumped the side of her leg and then vanished. There was a second tightness as her body hit the end of the chain, stopping her descent into the depths, but not pulling her up. Her heartbeat pounded and pulsed in her ears, head throbbing. However long she had really been under did not matter, it seemed like hours. A squeezing, tight, suffocating sensation was overwhelming her senses. Her mind screamed to take a breath. Something hit her again, and then another time. All she saw was dismal, inky, blackness. Her whole body ached with terror and desire for even one breath of air.

The collar jerked her head back as it dragged her upward again. As she moved through the water she felt things hitting against her, things that had not been there when she came down. They felt big. It took every bit of her strength to resist the urge to gasp or scream. Without the use of her eyes all she had was her imagination to try to answer the question of what these things were. The first answer that came to mind terrified her more than the thought of drowning. Didn't sharks tap and nudge their victims before attacking?

"There is something in here!" She squeaked out as soon as she was able, "What is this place? Why are you doing this?" Horror gripped her as she felt the water rising again, "No!"

Her descent stopped.

"Please!" She whimpered, "Please, don't! Let me out!"

Something nipped at her foot, making her scream.

"What's in here? What is this place?" Ichigo cried.

All that met her questions was terrible silence.

"Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?" She shouted, desperate for anything to cling to.

She gulped in as large a breath of air as she could when she felt the chain suddenly slacked. The water dragged her down again like an eager grave. Her whole body felt so weak, as if she had been fighting for hours. Even with the large amount of air she managed to pull in before sinking, it still felt like the supply was already gone. Her throat felt ready to collapse, it screamed for her to inhale even though she knew there was no air to take in. She struggled against the panic filled, desperate urge, rational part of her brain small but still there. The terrible pounding of her heart pulsed through her body, terror mounting with each beat. She could not give in; she had to keep her lips closed. . . Had to! She struggled weakly against the solid shackles.

Something bit her arm, hundreds of needles shot into her skin, tearing at her flesh. The shock made her take a breath, water rushed into her mouth as her throat tried to quickly close in an effort to shut out the invasion of her lungs. The choking sensation was so strong, unavoidably, painfully, persistent. Her brain screamed for air that was not there.

At last, she could not fight it anymore. She coughed and breathed a short breath of nothing but water. Her lungs burned with the breathless aching of drowning. She twisted against the pain, mind already being swallowed by a force she supposed to be death. Things began hitting her again but it felt distant. Even the pain of a third bite was only faintly felt in the back of her mind as she worked not to try for another breath filled with water. Perhaps she could not have breathed in again, lungs already full of water, throat tightly constricted.

This was the end. It was shocking how quickly the final thoughts in her mind came. She found herself wishing for many things; mostly the chance to see the faces of those she loved one last time. Over the past several months she pushed everyone away, and she regretted that now. She should have spent more time with them. If only she could say goodbye to her friends, the Mew Mews, her family. . . and Kisshu!

* * *

This was the second time she had done this to him today! Why did she always have to go off alone? This time he was really going to yell at her! Kisshu growled at the air. He had been searching for two hours without any success. That girl! At the moment he wanted to wrap his hands around her little neck. He could just kill her! If this was payback for dropping her, he really would kill her. He continued, eyes scanning for any indication of her presence.

That waiter arrived at their table with the order, but Ichigo still had not come back. Right then he knew something was going on. For some reason, she left him there. What her reason might have been, he had no idea. There was no reason for her to go off suddenly, or to go somewhere without telling him.

Night had completely descended. Darkness was coming earlier and earlier, but still. Where could she be? Why did she vanish? One minute she was there and the next it was as if something swallowed her whole. There was no trace of her anywhere. It was less like she walked away and more like she ported away, but that was not possible. Then again, the strange guy that attacked her vanished that way. Could he have taken her? He did not want to think of that potential. How would he ever find her if that had happened?

The way she vanished made much more sense if she had been taken that way than if she had walked away. That really did seem like the clear answer, but he did not want to admit it to himself. She had not been that far away from him, so she could have called out for help if she was in danger. He would have noticed something, wouldn't he? They could have come up behind her and knocked her out, that would account for her not calling to him. He clamped his eyes shut. How could he have been so close and not realized? His heart was racing. What could he do? All he could do was keep looking for any sign of her.

"Please, Ichigo, come back!" Kisshu whispered to the night air, "You know I can't lose you!"

* * *

Ichigo's mind worked to understand what was happening. She felt her body shaking violently and something pushing against her. She still could not see because of the wet blindfold plastered to her face. Her throat and lungs burned as she began to gag and choke up water. Everything hurt. She felt a sudden cold sensation as her legs sank into water once again and her stomach burned where her body was draped over something hard and unforgiving. She was half in and half out of the water now. This was a tank; she could feel the edge cutting into her ribs as she leaned over it. How big was it exactly? The edge felt very thick.

As her breathing began to return to normal and she finally stopped gagging on the water, she felt a hand moving her off the tank. He was putting her back into the water! Her heart raced and terror ran icy fingers through her mind. Not again! She could not do it again! She just couldn't! Her body felt so terribly weak she knew she would not last through it anymore. Her lungs burned from the water that was still in them. It was still hard to breath the way her throat was now. There was no way she could do this again.

"No!" Ichigo wailed, tears mixing into the water in the blindfold, "Please, not again! Please, don't do this! I'm begging you!"

A long horrible silence stretched on forever. Without her eyes she could not tell if he was considering it or getting ready to shove her under once again. She tried to hide the tears and cries welling up inside her but they were spilling out one by one.

She heard what she thought was a chuckle as two hands dragged her onto a platform of some kind. Once again she was tossed over a sturdy shoulder and she heard the noticeable sound of stairs creaking underfoot. Whatever tank he placed her in had to be tall if it required stairs. She shivered as the thought occurred to her that sharks would need a large tank. They could have been a small breed of shark. The bites did not feel large enough to belong to a great white shark. His shoes hit solid ground; she noted the difference in sounds.

Her body began to tremble uncontrollably. Part of it was from the chill of the water but more of it was due to fear. What would this person do to her next? First he nearly drowned her in a shark tank, so what horrors awaited her next? She did not want to think about what was going to happen. She avoided a death in the tank, but what worse things might be in her future? He kept walking. Where was he taking her now? She sent up silent prayers that it would be somewhere she could escape from. Roughly, he set her on something and removed the shackles from her wrists and ankles. She dared not move as he took her into his arms. Maybe he was going to lock her in a cell now.

She screamed as she felt him tossing her up. Ichigo's body flew through the air; a momentary feeling of weightlessness came over her before she began to plummet. The horrifyingly familiar sensation of water crashed hard around her body. Not again! She flailed and kicked for the surface and air. Her head broke and she inhaled quickly as she jerked the blindfold down. Her eyes darted around wildly. This was not where she had been before, this was a normal lake. No one was in sight either, she was alone.

Quickly, she swam to the shore, grateful to be alive and free again. There was a bridge just to her right. That must have been what he sat her on a moment ago when he threw her in. She crawled tenderly over the dirt and rocks before resting on the grass. Her body screamed protests. There were watery streaks of red down her arm and leg but she did not take the time to look at them.

With the blindfold now off her eyes, she fumbled with what was still around her neck. Her tired fingers found the fastening and undid it. As it fell into her lap she noted that it really was a collar – It was a pink dog's collar with a long chain hooked to it. Hot tears ran down her cheeks. What did that guy think she was? What kind of game was he playing? In such a short time he had degraded her, made her helpless, nearly killed her, and even got her to beg for her life. How pathetic was she?

Ichigo struggled to her feet, the collar dropping to the ground as she stood. Without a second glance, she left it there and began to walk. Her mind was still hazy and she was not at all sure where she was. Trying to hold in the sobs, she kept walking along the sidewalk, bare feet cold on the cement. The tiny bite on her foot stung every time she stepped down. She could feel dirt grinding into the wound.

Ichigo yelped and jumped back as she saw a sudden movement.

"Ichigo!" Kisshu hollered as he flew to her side.

Drained of her last bit of strength, she collapsed into his strong, welcome embrace. Never had his arms felt so wonderful. Already, she felt so safe and so secure she could have fallen asleep right here. She took a deep breath, inhaling the wonderful smell of his clothes. Not long ago she thought she would never even see him again, let alone feel this embrace again. Right now, she could let him hold her and cuddle her forever.

"What. . . what h-happened to you?" He murmured into her dripping hair.

She let her head roll to the side so she could see his face and shot him a smile, "You know me! I'm so clumsy!" At this moment lying to him seemed the only thing she could deal with. She did not want to tell him the truth; not about how easily she let herself be caught, how defenseless she really was, how he turned her into an animal, or how he got her to beg in terror. All she felt for the past, however long it had been, was shame.

"Oh? How did you get wet?" His eyes traveled to her bloody arm, "How did you get hurt like that?"

"I don't remember much about what happened. Somehow I guess I ended up falling into the lake. I got hurt trying to get out. It's nothing."

Kisshu hauled her to a nearby bench and eased her onto it. His eyes traveled over her quizzically, examining her. It was hard to even hold herself up anymore – It seemed that almost dying just zapped the energy out of you. Gentle, long fingers traced her arm, examining the bite mark. A little more looking and he found the bite on her leg and foot, he even found a gash on her thigh she did not know was there.

"I have never seen rocks that make marks like these before." He remarked flatly as he sat next to her and drew her upper body into his arms.

She relaxed, grateful she did not have to sit up anymore. Kisshu raked the wet hair off of her face as he stared down at her. What was going through his mind was beyond her, but his expression was taciturn, aloof, and reticent. He did not believe a word she said. Both out of exhaustion and to keep from having to look him in the eye, she let her eyes close. His fingers slid along her neck slowly. She flinched as she noticed his fingers working at the knot in the blindfold – She forgot it was still there. Once the knots were out he slid it off her. Her eyes remained closed as she stayed in his arms, defeated. It was hardly any use to keep lying; still, she could not tell him how easy it had been for that man to defeat her. In a short time she had been terrified, subdued, broken, and objectified; used for simple amusement.  
Kisshu stayed silent; not that he needed to say more. It was already clear that he knew, discovered her lies. He did not need to tell her. At least he was being kind enough not to berate her.

* * *

All night he had been listening for her so carefully. The moment he heard that scream, he knew it was her. He had been so glad to hear that precious voice! Knowing she was back filled him with joy. As fast as he could, he searched, and found her. That scream meant she was alive. But. . .

His jaw tightened. What had they done to her? He could see the marks on her neck and little tears in the skin; it looked like they kept something tightly around her neck. They might have strangled her repeatedly. There were impressions, the beginnings of deep bruises, around her wrists and ankles as well. She must have been struggling so hard in order to have marks like that. The black cloth around her neck must have been to cover her mouth. The bite marks on her were not made by humans this time. They even took her shoes away from her, maybe to make her walk home without them. She even lied to him to keep from talking about what they did. . . What else had been done to her that she could not bring herself to talk about? This was unforgivable!

"Who was it?" His voice came out in a growl.

She closed her eyes more tightly, "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

Her eye flew open, anger spiking in her voice, "I mean I don't know! I never saw who it was!" She looked away, "Not once did he say one word. He never said anything no matter how many questions I asked."

"What happened?"

"I don't even know that, exactly. I could not see anything." Her voice was getting shaky.

"Tell me what you do know."

"Look – " She coughed, body contorting in his arms as she worked to catch her breath.

He quickly sat her up and held her head while she coughed up saliva and water. Her tiny frame quivered against him like a leaf. She seemed even weaker than he first guessed. Whatever happened to her took a clear toll on her body.

"Kisshu, could we just go home? I'm so tired I can hardly stay awake. We can talk later, alright?" Her eyes were already drifting shut.

Kisshu held her to him, cradling her, "Sure, Ichigo."

His heart retched at the thought of anyone putting her in this state. He tightened his hold on her, subconsciously willing that her pain would go away if he held her enough. She seemed ill already and he worried about her overall health. He could not worry about going after anyone right now; Ichigo's health came before anything else. He needed to get her into bed so she could rest. Those wounds also needed to be treated quickly to avoid infection. Seeing her like this made his chest ache. Not only had she been tormented but she was ill now as well. He should have been there to stop this! He should have been able to protect her! What good was he to her if he could not even protect her when she was only a few yards away?

**AN: I do not own the characters, TMM does. Just a reminder. I use the characters, I might even put my own spin on them, but I do not own. XD Thank you! Hope you enjoy the first real entry of the bad guy!**


	12. Darkness

_Ichigo was sleeping so soundly it was almost as if she were dead. It worried him how tired she was. A few hours ago he had sneaked down, careful to be sure they did not hear, and made her some tea. Every noise the house made startled him as he was boiling the water, but his determination held him in place. Tea was supposed to be good for illness. While he was down there for the tea he looked for the first aid. After a bit of searching in the bathroom, he found the things he needed to tend to her injuries. He did not know a great deal about human health but he knew enough. Once he brought her the tea he had to hold her head up in order to get her to drink it. It seemed to take a great deal of effort for her to drink the tea. Even when he cleaned her wounds she barely reacted. Expert on human health or not, even he knew this was a bad sign. _

_Two of the bites had gone quite deep so he was sure she lost a decent amount of blood. It took some time to clean away the blood. He bandaged the wounds but he just hoped he had done everything right. From what he knew infections could be serious. Her clothing had suffered irreparable damage though. Her parents could never see these. The mere thought of her father's reaction to something like that sent a tingle up his spine. _

_With everything finally finished, Kisshu nuzzled in next to her. Gently, he placed a hand on her face. Her skin was a little warm to the touch and her breathing was a bit abnormal; that worried him but he did not know what to do about it. He had a cool cloth on her forehead but he did not know if it was doing any good. With a sigh he rested his head on the pillow. It would be nice if he knew a bit more about these things._

_A yawn tugged his mouth open wide. After all the things that happened today he was tired as well. His eyes stung with the desire for sleep. It was past midnight by some time. The day began wildly and ended wildly. Worry did a lot to tire him tonight, that and hours of searching endlessly with his stress progressively getting higher through the night. What began as a beautiful, fun day for them to spend together had ended in a far less pleasant light. This had better be the end of days like these. He wanted to stay awake to be sure nothing else happened but now that his head was resting on the pillow he could not even manage to keep his eyes open more than a little. A few more blinks and his eyes stayed closed. His mind worked to convince his body to open his eyes but his body refused. It only took a few more second before he fell into the pit of sleep._

Blue eyes flashed in the moon as he moved to the bedside. There was nothing to be done, he would have to give her a respite for the moment. It would not be entertaining to allow his doll to die so soon. Her body was very weak now considering the fact that her body had been weaken over time because of her grief. With the multiple attacks he had orchestrated, the recent lack of sleep, and her near encounter with drowning, she was simply in no condition to toy with. He had not put her life in a great deal of danger yesterday though.

_Even though they were Blue sharks, three of them, they were very young, so they could not kill her. His two Mako sharks were nearly full adults though. They all had aggressive natures, which is why he kept them. Not all of them really bothered her other than to hit her. The only ones that bothered her were his two favorites of the baby blue sharks and one of the mako. It was all in play though considering he fed them well an hour before he put her in. None of them were hungry, they were only toying with her._

_Most people could not accomplish the mixture of those breeds, but he made it possible by keeping different part of the tank different levels, among other things. A whole room was dedicated to that tank so they had ample space. Once the blue sharks grew too large he replaced them with a new set. Releasing the adults onto the beaches gave him a great deal of satisfaction considering all the trouble it could cause if one or two of them chose to linger at the shore for any length of time. Thanks to his efforts, there had been a spike in shark attacks. He was actually an expert on sharks. They fascinated him and they were helpful to keep around. Sharks held a great deal of intimidation over humans. Each shark he possessed had the potential to be dangerous. The mere sight of a shark was enough to strike terror into the hearts of people. Sharks were almost more effective than even a lion because sharks lived in the water. They were more threatening because they had two advantages over a human in the water; they were faster and they could breathe when a human could not. Water itself was a source of fear to humans, but adding a shark made it all the more fun._

_His eyes fell on the girl again. It was likely the drowning part that weakened her the most. Things like that tended to take a real toll on the body, especially a body that was already weak. He had taken her before she had time to eat and replenish her strength so she had no energy to draw from. In hindsight, waiting would have been more prudent. He would be limited to toying with her mind for a short while. It mattered little though; he would simply switch his games to a different target until she was strong enough to play with again. For now, he would start out slowly, setting out more strings before he went for the kill._

* * *

__

Kisshu squirmed. Something felt strange and his chest felt tight. When he tried to open his eyes it did not work, it still was dark. His eyes adjusted to darkness quite well, eyes similar to a cat's, but he still saw nothing. It felt like there was something strange around him – It was a slimy sensation. Just what was this? His entire system reeled in shock as a horrendously bright light blared directly into his eyes. He grunted and squinted at the figure behind the light. He flinched – Could that be Ichigo's father? Did that guy come home to find a strange boy in his daughter's bed?

_"Hey, what is this?" Kisshu scowled. _

_No answer._

_"Hello!" He leaned forward. "Who are you? What's going on?"_

_The figure shifted but did not speak._

_Kisshu looked down and frowned – Something black was covering his body. He tried to move again but the shadowy substance held him in place. His heart tightened as the substance began to move and wriggle around him as though it were living. Its hold constricted around him squeezing tightly before relaxing. It reminded him a bit of the germ Chimera Anima he sent after Aoyama once. He balked when two eyes blinked at him; it blinked again and then slid off him slowly. He pulled his legs up onto the chair and stared at it. The form gradually shifted into something resembling a human in nature of shape. It blinked at him again and flashed a toothy smile, teeth sharp like a shark. The shadowy creature joined the man, eyes still fixed on Kisshu._

_"What the hell is that thing?"_

_No answer._

_Kisshu shot up into the air to see the man but the light shifted again, nearly blinding him. He reeled back an covered his face with one arm._

_"That is me, my. . . shall we say. . . my spirit. That is a slight demonstration of my power and what I will do in the future." His baritone voice accosted Kisshu's ears like loud waves. _

_"What do you mean? What you will do in the future?" Kisshu shot him an incredulous look, "You intend to turn into a slimy, creepy looking monster in the future? I've heard of odd ambitions, but that is really off the wall!"_

_That elicited a chuckle from the man, "No, that's not quite what I meant. I have yet to show you the future I speak of."_

_"Is that right? Well, I'm not really into fortune telling, so you can go pick on someone else!"_

_"Even if I am going to show you how someone you love will die? Even if I was going to show you her fate? You have not been doing very well at protecting her yourself!" He shifted behind the light again, "Perhaps I was going to tell you how to save her, but I don't think I will now. I will just show you how she will suffer."_

_"What are you talking – " The man vanished, "Hey, what's going on? Explain yourself!" Kisshu glided to where he had been._

_The light dimmed and was gone, leaving him in the darkness again. Even if he had been able to see he would not have known where the man had gone. What sort of man was that? Was he possibly an alien as well? Was the creature he had a Chimera Anima? He growled at the air. It did not matter, he was leaving. His heart stopped as he tried to open a door, the same as he always did, but nothing appeared. He tried again, suddenly desperate, but nothing came in response. He could not use his powers in here? How could that be? Where was this place? _

_A light appeared a short distance ahead. A man dressed in black, face covered by a mask, stood next to the creature from before. The light started out dim but slowly began to brighten and illuminate more of the room. The shadow moved into the darkness as the man began to walk. A long, dark ponytail swayed down the center of his back as he walked in the light. The shadow creature came into view again and it was holding something. There were four other shadow creatures now so he could not see what the first one had until they all shifted._

_"Ichigo!" Kisshu flew forward but was brought to a painful halt. Something like Plexiglas barred his way and he crashed right into it with his full body. He pressed his palms to the cool glass, pushing against it hard. "Ichigo!"_

_What was this place? Why did he have her here? His heart twisted as he watched a set of the creature's teeth sink into her shoulder. Ichigo screamed and squirmed as a second bit into her side. The look of terror in her eyes and the tear that slipped from her eye shattered him. How did any of this happen? Why? Why? This did not make any sense at all! How did he get them here? In another second all five had their teeth carved into her, holding fast. She screamed and whimpered but could no longer move. They were wrapped around her body, teeth holding her to ensure she was in place. As it was, she could never transform. The sight turned his stomach; his heart screamed. The largest one bit down harder, hard enough that he heard her collarbone snap. Her face contorted in pain and she shrieked, little tremors wracking her body. Blood was running down her arms and legs, pooling on the floor around her. With the rate she was already loosing blood he knew she would be in trouble soon. _

_"Ichigo!" Kisshu screamed, a fist crashing against the glass._

_A cruel smile sleeked across the man's face as he withdrew a sword from his coat. Kisshu's body froze as he watched him moving closer to her. All he could think of was that this could not be happening. His fists pounded wildly against the glass and he slammed against it with his body. The glass was too strong, it did not even give a little._

_Hot tears spilled from his eyes, "Stop, please!"_

_He howled in desperate protest as the sword's point dug into her thigh. Ichigo shrieked as it sunk deep. The blade withdrew and slid down her arm leaving a bloody trail, the point leaving a jagged cut the length of her arm. Kisshu tried again to open a port, desperation driving him wild, but nothing came, not even a slight disturbance in the air. He slammed into the glass, primal growls seeping from him as he saw the blade strike her again. Ignoring the pain in his shoulder and side he crashed against the glass again and again._

_"Shall I kill her, alien boy?" His voice was cold as he held the sword to her throat._

_"Leave her alone!" Kisshu bellowed, "Let her go! If you want to fight someone, just come in here!"_

_"This is her fate, the fate you will bring to her by your own actions or lack of actions. The life or death of this girl is in your hands, remember that."_

_"You're right, her fate will change once I rip you into pieces!"_

_"My coming in there will not change her fate. You cannot defeat me, I am far above your simple skills. Nothing you can do will keep her safe."_

_"You talk a lot, bastard, but you should prove it to me! Stop attacking her and come get me! Coward! I can protect her from the likes of you! We will see how simple my skill is when you get in here!" _

_The sword rested against her throat._

_Ichigo screamed, fresh tears streaking down her face, "Kisshu, help me!"_

_Kisshu slammed the glass as he watched in horror as the blade was drawn across her throat. Blood quickly streaked from her neck and the lights instantly began to dim as her body collapsed. The air in his lungs was gone, his throat constricted. His heart pulsed with pain like the stab of a knife. His knees began to tremble as the light faded to nothing and she vanished from sight. Her screams of pain echoed in his mind and the sight of her blood burned into his eyes. His head began to spin as shock crept over him. No! That could not be. There was no way that happened._

_"No, no, no, no, no!" Kisshu shrieked, "This is not possible!"_

_"I hope you can begin to understand your inability. You are not strong enough to so much as touch me, let alone save the girl you love." The voice echoed around him. "You could not save her last night even though you were so near. You will never be strong enough to help her."_

_This was not real, it could not be real, could it? He took in a shaky breath to clear his hazed thoughts. Ichigo was fine! They were both at her home, safe. Nothing he had just seen was real. It did not make any sense. There had to be something at work in this place! Something was off about this, he just knew it. Ichigo could not be dead, it just could not be. Things were to strange in here to be real!_

_"This can't be real!" He screamed, voice quaking as a tear slipped from his eye. "It's not real, I know it!"_

_His ear tingled as the man suddenly spoke in his ear, "You think so?" Somehow he was by his side now, "It is good to see that your mind is strong and you can see through simple illusions. You're right, this is only a dream, but dreams have the power to allow you to see things you would not be able to in your waking hours. Some dreams can even show you the future if given to you by the right means."_

_The shadow wrapped around his body again, immobilizing him before he could strike at his enemy. Something sharp pricked his side and then sunk deep. He winced as tentacles of pain ran up and down his body. A bit of light trickled into the room. His eyes fell to his side and the glint of reflection he saw – That was one of his own swords in the man's hand. With a twist of the sword in his flesh came an irresistible cry of pain from his lips. A terrible burning sensation wrapped around his side and spread. The sword slowly slid from his side only to pierce into his back. The throbbing, pulsing, hot ache spread through him like unstoppable waves. He felt one of his lungs giving way as the tip of the sword pierced it._

_"This pain is nothing compared to what I will give you later." He thrust the sword in again. "I will show you true anguish later. Physical pain is terrible, but the anguish of watching her die a terrible death will be much worse for you."_

_The cold metal of the blade sent a chill through him as it touched his neck. The pain from the stab wounds was intense and consuming. He drew the sword across Kisshu's throat, the blade sinking deep into the tender flesh. The pain was only outweighed by the sudden feeling of breathlessness as his own blood oozed in his throat. Slowly, his lungs were filling with blood from the puncture and now from his throat being slit. He could no longer breathe or even cry. His head was pounding with the bombarding sensations of the pain his body was sending._

_"Until next time, my little puppet." The distant voice cooed in his ear as he slipped beneath the waves of darkness._

* * *

__

Kisshu bolted upright in bed gasping for breath and clutching his throat. His eyes swept the room wildly, heart pounding against his ribs. This was Ichigo's room. The pain was gone now, as if it never existed. It was strange, he felt pain in the dream so vividly just as if it had been real. His heart jolted. Ichigo! He grabbed her hand, fingers quick to find her pulse. His hand cupped her head and titled it up so he could see her better. 

_She stirred, eyes blinking open and lazily drifting to greet his face. Nothing could have thrilled his heart more than to see her. She was fine, totally unharmed. . . other than the injuries he already knew about. She was alive! There were no new marks on her body, no cut on her throat, nothing. Tears threatened his eyes again as he looked at her. She was alright! Kisshu hugged her to him and showered her with kisses of elation. A half smile was his reward before her eyes drifted closed again. It was all just a dream and everything was fine._

_"Oh, Ichigo, I'm so glad! I love you so much!" His lips pressed against her cheek, "I swear I'll protect you no matter what I have to do, so don't ever leave!"_

_He noticed as his fingers racked through her hair that his hands were trembling. Even though he knew it was not real he was still shaken. He shut his eyes as images threatened to return. A thankful smile spread over his lips. Thank goodness it was nothing more than a dream. His fears and self doubt simply manifested into a dream. It was just a dream brought about by his own fear and insecurity about her. He was terrified that he could not protect her. She was so fragile now that it frightened him to the core. In this state, she needed him so much, but he feared he could not protect her the way he needed to. He had already failed her. _

_His lips caressed her as he nuzzled against her. The thoughts of losing her or being unable to protect her were his greatest fears. But she was safe, right her in his arms. There was no way he would let go of her again for any reason. His arms slipped around her and held her close as he kissed her. He loved her so much! All he wanted after that nightmare was to hold her and kiss her. The sweet taste of her lips comforted him. He just wanted to feel her and know she was there. He wanted to feel her heart beat against him and her breath against his skin to remind him that she was safe._

* * *

__

The rooms curtains were drawn, only one lamp on the nightstand provide light. The air was cool and damp in the room. The sword clattered against the wooden table as he set it down. He slipped the mask from his face with a satisfied sigh. That encounter had been very productive indeed. Now introductions were over. All the information he wanted he now had on the alien. That boy really was a splendid creature, as good as he hoped for. Aliens were quiet wonderful beings. Those two were both exactly what he hoped they would be. From now on he would not go easy on them because he had everything in place now and he could hardly contain himself anymore. Excitement was building the more he disclosed about them. Still, it would almost be a shame when they did break because the game would be coming to an end. Even so, that would not stop him. A game was played so that there could be an ending winner. He might try to slow down to make the game last longer, but maybe not. They were amusing puppets.

_"So, you had fun with that guy, right?" Blond hair sparkled as the youth moved into the light._

_He reached over and tussled the boy's hair, "Yes, I found it quite amusing as well as informative. They will be fun to toy with and breaking them will be even more fun!" _

_The boy shrugged, voice even and bored, "I don't really get it, what you are planning, but at least you are having fun." _

_He shook his long dark hair free from the band, "Don't worry, I have everything under control. I know you are worried." He chuckled, "You smile, but I can see through you, you know."_

_"Yeah, I know. I'm not trying to fool you. You always know what everyone is thinking anyway. You know everyone's weak points."_

_"Of course, that is why I will not have any problems with those two. No matter how strong they are, I always win." _

_A devilish laugh echoed through the room. Nothing could ever stop him – Nothing had ever stopped him, not with all his skills. What he wanted he always got. No one could win against him. Those who resisted his wishes suffered until they complied. He did not allow anything to stand in his way, not ever. Every human had a breaking point and he always found it. Humans had so many weaknesses so it was never hard – That is why he was hunting for game which would give him a challenge, for a change. They were both strong, wonderfully so. Yes, they needed to suffer a great deal more in order for it to be truly sporting! He would not stop until they both crumbled in his hand. He made that girl beg, but that was only the first step of many he would take. He would make them scream and plead for his mercy, and only then would he even begin to consider showing them any at all. Enjoyment would not even begin to describe the pleasure he would get from their suffering. It would be a splendid game indeed. They were strong dolls and it would take much pressure to crack them. They were perfect dolls for him. Soon they would belong to him forever!_


	13. Old Times

_Kisshu dabbed at her face with the cool cloth. Thank goodness, her fever was nearly gone now. She coughed a lot during the night, terrible, frame shaking coughing. There were times he was afraid she would cough up her lungs. For two hours now though, the fits of coughing had stopped. Her color had improved and her breathing was back to normal. It calmed him to see her looking so much better. He could not help but smile and muse at the simple fact that he found her beautiful even like this._

_He sighed as his mind began to wonder. There were so many things pressing for his attention. Part of him wondered if he could ever protect her if he did not uncover the answers to all the riddles. Could there be a key to the things happening now in the secrets she was keeping from him? There were so many things he knew nothing about after having been gone. He had so many questions he could not answer at the present. All those unanswered questions were clearly nagging at him since he was having nightmares now. He wished she would just be open with him and tell him things._

_Ichigo's eyes opened slowly and her big, round eyes traveled to his face. She smiled sleepily at him and ran her hand up his arm. It was so good to begin to see real responses from her again. At this rate she might recover soon._

_"Good morning, honey!" He grinned the way he always did._

_"Good morning." Ichigo started to stretch but halted with a wince of pain._

_"What hurts most?" He swiped at her face with the cloth again._

_"You should ask what doesn't hurt." She grinned._

_"Do your lips hurt?" He let the sly smile play at his mouth._

_She giggled, "What if I say they don't?"_

_"Then I would have to kiss them."_

_"Oh?" She tilted her chin up, "I couldn't lie, so I have to tell you they don't hurt in the slightest."_

_Kisshu swiftly, but carefully moved in. All night he had been wanting a kiss; not a kiss he could give her while she slept, but a kiss she could return. His fingers slid over her face and into her hair, one of the only safe places to touch her now. Nothing in the world could have felt more wonderful that this after a night of worry. Her little frame had life again. Each breath she took felt strong as his hand wandered over her stomach. The breaths she took were not shaky like they had been. She slid her good arm around him. The kiss began to deepen as chills from her touch ran over his skin. He wanted this; wanted her touch, her solid breathing, and sweet kiss because they meant she was alive. Better still, this meant that she was with him. She was his and no one else's. Never, he never got over the feeling of her tender mouth against his own. This kiss was addictive and he was an addict._

_"Hey, careful, you're going to make me have a fever again at this rate. Nya!" Ichigo pushed him away slowly._

_He pretended not to notice the appearance of her ears, "I don't think they call it a fever when it comes from situations like these, Koneko-chan."_

_Ichigo's cheeks flushed, "Whatever! Nya!" She jumped to her feet but instantly sank back onto the bed._

_"What's wrong?"_

_Her hand went to her forehead, "My head is throbbing. . ." The cat ears vanished._

_"Here, let me." He knelt in front of her, fingers instantly working over her forehead. Her eyes slowly closed as he used a combination of his fingertips and knuckles to carefully work the area. Already, she was beginning to relax. His skilled fingers worked over all the typical trouble spots on her head and face. The pain was at least partly caused by tension. She was nearly purring as he worked. The noises she was making were very cute. It took a moment to push aside a sudden fantasy that would have gotten him slapped, but he kept rubbing without a pause. He was good at doing things like this. For some unknown reason he had a natural skill at giving massages. Many years ago he used to do things like this for his mother. The sudden thought of his mother made Kisshu pull his hands away and stand._

_Ichigo's smile eased the sudden turmoil in his heart. "Wow, you're amazing!" Her lips touched his fingers, "I have no idea how you did it, but the headache is totally gone. You're magic!"_

_He could not resist a smile, "Thanks, I'm always more magical when it comes to you though."_

_"Oh, really?" She grinned, "I guess I could go along with that."_

_His heart thumped a bit louder as she rose, slipped her arms around his neck and placed an incredibly sweet kiss to his lips._

_"Thank you, Kisshu."_

_"For what?" His mind was a little hazy suddenly._

_"For taking care of me! Silly!" She slipped away again and took a few things from the closet._

_He watched her a minute, "What exactly are you doing?"_

_"I'm about to make you cover your head while I get dressed."_

_"Why are you getting dressed?" His eyes narrowed, "Where do you plan on going when you're still sick?"_

_"Relax, with your care I'm fully recovered!"_

_"I don't think that's the best idea. You need to stay in bed."_

_"Please, Kisshu, I really want to go see my friends." She had a faraway look in her eyes, "I really have not seen them in a while and I found myself regretting that a while ago. Would you hate it too much if I went there to see them at the café?"_

_Kisshu hesitated but found himself relenting already, "No, that is fine, if you really feel up to it."_

_She nodded, "Yes, I feel much better. We don't need to stay long, you don't even need to come in. I just want to see them."_

* * *

__

The turtleneck sweater she picked out hid not only the wound on her arm but the collar marks on her neck and the human teeth marks on her shoulder. She opted for a skirt that grazed her ankles today so she could be sure nothing of those wounds showed. With all the bandages on her she was starting to feel like parts of her had turned into a mummy. Things would be fine soon since the wounds would not last forever. She would not be wearing shorts for a while though, obviously.

_A near squeal brought her out of her momentary thoughts, "Ichigo-san!" Lettuce very nearly tackled her._

_"Hi, Lettuce-chan!" It took all she had not to either wince or fall over._

_Mint used her best tone of annoyance, "Look who finally decided to visit us!" Still, she hurried over just as quickly as Lettuce._

_Ichigo let them hug her and made attempts to hug them back despite the pain. It really was good to see them. After her brush with death she just wanted to see them again. She had forgotten how much she really missed them. Having them around made her feel like this was the first place she should have come a long time ago. These girls were her friends, they really were. Even though she really had treated them poorly by pushing them away they still loved her._

* * *

__

Kisshu sat quietly in the cover of the trees. There was no way he could go in with her even if he changed his appearance. If she came in with a strange guy they would be bound to ask a lot of questions. At the present time, that would be bad. It was safe to let her go in there alone. That was the Mew Mews headquarters.

_"Kisshu, what are you doing here?" Taruto glided next to him._

_"Yo, Taruto!" Kisshu grinned, "I'm just waiting for Ichigo."_

_"Is that so?" Taruto sounded aloof. "You've been spending a lot of time with her."_

_"Yeah, I suppose I have."_

_"I haven't seen you in a while. I noticed you have not even been coming back to the ship at night." He eyed him out of the corner of his eye, "You. . . spend the nights at her house?"_

_A glow of embarrassment moved into Kisshu's cheeks, "Hey, it's not like that! I have been staying with her, yeah, but we haven't done anything bad! She's been sick so I stay with her to watch out for her!"_

_"What's wrong with her?" Taruto persisted in the same nearly accusatory voice._

_What could he say? "What? I'm supposed to be an expert on humans now? How should I know?"_

_"You're not an expert in anything." Taruto stated nonchalantly._

_"You did not have to agree that way!" Kisshu narrowed his eyes._

_"What? It's the truth. You're really dense!"_

_"What's the supposed to mean?"_

_Taruto turned his eyes to stare at him, "It means you're not being the smartest guy right now."_

_"What's your problem suddenly? I told you we didn't do anything bad! What's with the attitude, grouchy little squirt!"_

_"I'm grouchy because of you! You're being an idiot and not using your brains! You're letting yourself play the fool."_

* * *

__

In an uncharacteristic show of affection, Zakuro hugged her. It was really touching to have someone like Zakuro show affection toward her – It would have seemed a lot nicer had she not been in typical form. She managed not only to hit the wound on her arm, but the bite mark on her shoulder, and even the bruise on her back. Zakuro had the most uncanny way of finding your weaknesses be they physical or emotional. If Pudding came in now it would be the end of her, Pudding would kill her. As the three girls dragged her to a nearby table she did her best not to allow her limp to show. There were not many customers but what few there were had just become invisible to the waitresses now that Ichigo had come back.

_"We have missed you, Ichigo-san!" Lettuce smiled, "How have you been doing?"_

_"I've been doing fine." Ichigo grinned at them, "I've just been busy with the usual things, nothing new."_

_"You could have stopped by any time and visited," Mint sighed in an exasperated tone._

_"I know! I would have but I was afraid Shirogane would put me to work!" She giggled longer than was necessary._

_She was beginning to feel sick. Her body was not ready for this much activity after all. It did not take much to notice that her vision was starting to blur. The familiar faces were starting to be difficult to make out. Her stomach churned wildly. If she did not get to her bed soon she would either faint or be sick, and that would be a rather huge tip to them that something was wrong._

_The ever perceptive Zakuro leveled her with her violet eyes, "Are you alright? You don't look well."_

_"She's right, Ichigo-san." Lettuce narrowed her green eyes in concern, "You look a bit pale."_

_Icigho waved her one good arm at them, "I'm fine! I'm really happy to see you all again! I really have missed you a lot!" She swept them with her eyes, "I know I should have come by a lot sooner!"_

_"Ichigo, are you sure you're not having trouble? You do look stressed." Mint eyed her._

_"I'm just fine, nothing to worry about!"_

_No matter what she said it would not change the fact that she was feeling worse by the second. Unless she wanted them to notice she would have to leave quickly. They already thought something was wrong. She just wanted to see them but it was not going well. Explaining everything was not on her list of plans. She did not want them to know anything about any of this. If they found out they would insist on helping and she did not want that. She was the target, not them. As it was, she could not even protect herself let alone them. This was the best she could do to protect them._

_Ichigo pretended to check her watch, "Oh, I have got to go! My parents have me doing a bunch of things today, so I only had a few minutes to stay. I had to come see how you all were though." She stood and headed for the doors before they could stop her. She needed to get to her bed right now. This had been a bad idea after all. No matter how much she wanted to see them she was not up to this yet. Her sight was starting to swirl as her body worked to make it for the door. It took all her energy to walk in a straight line. She had to make it!_

_"Ichigo!" Ryuu boomed as he emerged from the kitchen._

_Ichigo froze, smile still in place, but body frozen in terror, "Hi!" She waved vigorously as she moved for the door, "I am so, so sorry, but I have to run! I'll come back later, I promise!" Not him, it would be impossible to fool him. The second he got a closer look he would know. She picked up her pace as best as her shaky legs could and rushed out the doors. They could not see her like this._

* * *

__

"What do you mean by that?" Kisshu glared.

_"Just what I said, you're being stupid!"_

_"Hey!" Kisshu rose to his full height, "I'm still bigger than you, you know! I can still whip you!"_

_Taruto shook his head, "I'm not trying to start a fight with you! I'm just worried about you, stupid!"_

_"Why are you worried about me?"_

_"You've spent all this time with her now, but has she told you anything about the time we were gone?" Taruto locked eyes with him._

_Kisshu flinched inwardly, "Sure she has, some! What of it?"_

_"Did she tell you why the Blue Knight has not been around?"_

_A loud sound drew his attention toward the café. Ichigo stumbled out, the doors swishing shut behind her. The look of her worried him instantly, even before he saw the expression on her face. Even from a distance he could clearly see she was not well at all. What Taruto was trying to tell him was lost to him as he rushed to her side and gathered her shaky body into his arms. He got to her just in time. She went limp in his grasp._

_"Please, hide me! I don't want them to see me like this!" Ichigo's head rolled to the side, "I don't want them to know."_

_Kisshu drew back into the trees just in time to avoid being spotted as the group poured out of the café. They seemed shocked at her overly fast disappearance but also saddened. He cringed at the look on even the rich Aizawa girl's face. That was one thing humans as well as aliens shared, bonds of friendship. They truly did care about her. He was almost tempted to go against her wishes and reveal her, but he would not do it. Those were her friends, not his, not really. Part of him still viewed them as enemies, especially that guy. Considering what Shirogane lost because of aliens Kisshu could not believe he would forgive them so easily. There were some things that could not be forgiven that easily, which he understood. If she intended to keep this from them there was nothing he could do. It was somewhat comforting that she was not telling them anything. At least he was not the only one she kept secrets from._

_Taruto glided beside them soundlessly. He eyed Ichigo but said nothing. It was a little surprising that he chose not to give them away. The moment Pudding appeared at the door the young alien stiffened but remained silent. Pudding ask what was happening, clearly confused by the group all rushing away. She must not have realized Ichigo had been there. Amazingly Taruto did not even reveal them when he saw the hurt look on the monkey girl's face. It was a bit sad to see the group that way. They were her comrades so of course they cared about her and wanted to see her. A few minutes later the group finally returned to the café. _

_"I told you that you should not be going out in this condition!" Kisshu hissed._

_She nodded feebly, "I know, you were right. I thought I would be fine, but I was wrong." Her head rested against his chest, "I'm sorry."_

_He could tell she had already slipped away, her body limp in his arms and breathing deeper. "Thanks for staying quite." Kisshu smirked, "But I guess you could not give us away without giving yourself away."_

_"I didn't need to worry about giving myself away. Lettuce, Mint and Zakuro already caught me with Pudding yesterday." He scowled, almost annoyed, "I kept quiet because it's what you wanted. I haven't given you away and I won't."_

_Kisshu looked down, "Thanks."_

_Taruto touched her forehead with the back of his hand, "She really is not doing well, is she. . ."_

_Kisshu huffed, "Didn't I tell you that before!"_

_"Why doesn't she want anyone to know?"_

_"She doesn't want them to worry, I suppose." Kisshu shrugged, "How would I know why she does anything?"_

_"What are you planning to do with her, Kisshu? Wouldn't it be better if she had a human doctor to take care of her?"_

_Kisshu sighed, "Maybe, but she would not agree to it."_

_"You're ok with that? You think she will get better like this?"_

_"I'm doing the best that I can, Taruto!" Kisshu gritted his teeth. _

_"I know, but will that be enough?"_

_"I don't know. . . She will be fine."_

_"If you say so," Taruto paused to look at her, "but you better get her home to rest."_

* * *

__

The windows were partially open so the cool air drifted in lazily and lapped at the thick curtains. The candles on the table flickered back and forth with the movement of the wind. He could feel the chill of the floor through his shoes. In the winter, this room was always the coldest place in the house. It did not bother him though. The cold was fine. This room was the best place to be in the summer as well because it was cool.

_"So, what are you planning to do now?" A male voice echoed over the stone walls in the large room._

_Dark hair swished over the material of his shirt as he turned his head, "I'll be taking another step. She is doing better than I anticipated, so I can move ahead." _

_"What are you going to do?"_

_"Don't worry about that, I will take care of it."_

_That girl was recovering rather well. It was a bit foolish to be running around so soon but it did not matter. Considering the cold water that shocked her system and the amount of blood she likely lost, she was doing splendidly. Her resilience was pleasing indeed. He knew he picked the perfect doll before but now he was more sure of it. This meant he could begin to toy with her again. How wonderful! The plan worked best if he could make his next move with her right now. Even if she had been doing poorly he would have taken this step anyway. A plan was always about timing._

* * *

__

Ichigo insisted he drop her off at the door. She wanted to walk inside to allow her parents to see her. She said it would be good if they knew she had at least been going out more. It was supposed to boost their confidence in her or something. For some reason she also wanted to see them and spend time with them. She intended to eat something to get her strength up a little before she returned to bed. Having her eat something sounded logical to him at the very least. It was odd how she suddenly wanted to see everyone today. She acted as if it was urgent that she see everyone she knew. It confused him a bit.

_Kisshu listened for her when he entered her room. Until she was finished he would wait here. Taruto's words played back in his head. Part of him regretted not asking him to finish telling him about the Blue Knight, but another part of him was relieved they were interrupted. Some part of him was afraid to hear anything about that guy. Ichigo's relationship with that person had been the bane of his existence for so long. Nothing in him wanted to hear about that person. If that guy was going to return, he did not want to know. The way Taruto talked he was terrified he would tell him that guy was going to come back. Maybe he was about to tell him Aoyama was coming back so Ichigo would probably run back into that guys arms. Maybe he was trying to say that no matter how much time they had spent together, she would still go back to that guy. If that was what he was going to say he did not want to hear it._

_She asked him a little while ago why he came back and why he helped her. Even now she did not understand. She knew he cared but she still did not know how much or how deeply. She never understood no matter how many times he tried to tell her. She never knew how much it hurt every time she pulled away, refused to look his way, and would not let him in. Last year was the same, she never understood how much it hurt when she went to that guy's side – She did not understand how deeply it cut when she said she would never love him, said she loved that Aoyama instead, and that it would never be. Ichigo never knew how much it wounded him to have her love another, knowing his feelings were one-sided._

_Yes, that's right, only Ichigo. Only Ichigo was like a piercing thorn to him. . . A continuing pain in his chest that he could never seem to be free from. That is what he had thought so many times in the past. Once he even told someone that very feeling. When it came to Ichigo he was not rational, not at all. When he came to see her again for the first time he had come thinking he might be able to get over her – He thought if he could see her once more and give her a proper farewell, he could forget her. Now that he had seen her again and spent time with her this way he knew how wrong he had been. _

_Never, he would never get over her. His love for Ichigo was much too strong to ever be free from even if he wanted to stop it. There would never come a time when he would not love her. Maybe she could not see it, could not see the hold she had over him. It was like there were great chains binding him to her - Chains he could never break. Ichigo placed chains on him the day they met and time had only strengthened their power over him. She bewitched him, binding, and enslaving him. He would always belong to her, her loyal subject. He would always love her even if she never could return his affection. She was the princess to his kingdom and he was her, oh so willing, servant for life. That was the reason he came back. That was the reason he had to find out what stole the light from her eyes, and why he would do anything to protect her. Never again did he want to see her harmed. Never again did he want to see any kind of pain in her eyes._

_There was a way to protect her and he would find it. That guy would have nothing to do with keeping her safe this time. Ichigo would understand how much he loved her this time even if it killed him and he would be the one to protect her._

_"Ichigo, are you alright?" Sakura's voice reached his ears. "You are limping, I can tell."_

_Kisshu glided to the door and cracked it open, knowing it was safe to do so since they were downstairs._

_"No, it's nothing!" Ichigo giggled nervously._

_This could be bad. Kisshu ventured a bit farther out and onto the stair so he could see. Her father grabbed her arms and her mother caught her skirt. Ichigo tried to squirm away but did not manage to before her mother saw the bandages. Her mother started to undo the bandages but stopped when Ichigo yelled in pain._

_"What happened to your leg?" Her father demanded._

_"I. . . well, that is. . . my shoe was untied." Ichigo was obviously wracking her brain for a believable answer to give._

_"You got that because you tied your shoe?" Shintaro eyed her._

_"Yes! You see, I was visiting the aquarium when I noticed my shoe was untied. The only place to sit was on the wall since I did not want to sit on the floor."_

_Kisshu wanted to swoop in to assist her but knew he would be far more a hindrance than a help. Knowing her parents would eventually look at the wound and see what it was he had a hunch he already knew the lie she was spinning for them. She was going to use her clumsy reputation to her advantage. It was a smart move and they just might believe her._

_"I was not even paying attention to where I was sitting." She continued, "And I ended up falling into the tank."_

_Shintaro stared at her, "You cut your leg on the tank? What tank was it?"_

_"No, it wasn't the tank that cut me, it was what was inside the tank."_

_"What was in the tank?" Her father's voice was starting to spike._

_"It was a shark tank. . ." Ichigo said hesitantly. _

_"A shark tank!" Sakura shrieked, "Are you alright?"_

_"They were only little sharks, mom! It's just a little bite."_

_"A little bite!" They chorused._

_"Did this happen this morning? Did they take you to a doctor?" Her mother was starting to talk fast._

_"It happened last night, but they bandaged it for me. Everything is fine."_

_"Last night!" The two chorused again._

_"You are going to the doctor this instant! Who knows what you might have gotten from a shark bite!" Her father bellowed, "I can't believe you did not tell us!"_

_"I don't need a doctor! I'm not going!" Ichigo hissed._

_"Did I say you had a choice?" Her father scooped her up. Ichigo protested as she was dragged to the door. Her mother got keys and opened the door. Despite her kicking and thrashing the three of them were gone in a matter of minutes._

_This was an unexpected turn. He knew she should not have gone down there. She really needed to listen to him more often, or he needed to stop listening to her. He wondered what she was going to do when the doctor found all her other injuries. The human bite mark on her shoulder was not likely to be passed off as a shark. Kisshu massaged his temples. That girl got herself into more trouble than ten girls. Now he would have to try to follow her without anyone seeing him. This was going to be a real pain. Still, maybe this was the best thing. Taruto was right, she needed a hospital. He would have to let her suffer through it._

* * *

_After fighting with her parents for so long she was exhausted. It had not taken long for her tiredness to render her meek and easy to drag around. She had not listened to the multiple lectures her parents gave her on the drive, or in the waiting room. There were times it was better to ignore them and stay quiet. She could simply strangle both of them even though she knew they were just worried._

_An intimidating nurse had lead them around and ordered them to do this and that. For some reason the nurse insisted her parents do more paperwork of some kind while Ichigo went ahead and met the doctor. That sounded fine to her. If the crazy nurse kept them long enough they might be too late to see anything._

_She walked slowly into the room. It was hard to walk because she felt so weak, and the pain in her leg did not make it any easier. Her body was beginning to feel like lead. Before she fell down she needed to find a chair. As she moved through the door her first action was to climb onto the padded examination chair before she even took the time to look around the room. She saw a man she safely assumed was the doctor. His back was too her, but the long white coat gave his occupation away. Long dark hair sleeked down the back of the coat held perfectly centered by a hair tie. Her head was starting to ache again. She wished Kisshu were here to rub her head like he did before. He had the most wonderful touch to her soar head._

_"Hello, Miss Momoiya." His low, smooth voice was almost comforting, but he still had his back to her._

_Papers rustled as he continued to flip through a manila file she imagined was hers. Blond hair caught her eye as the door slowly closed. She turned her eyes to look at the owner of that hair and felt a pulse of shock; she had seen that face somewhere before. Where had she seen that boy? His thin but round face and large eyes seemed so familiar. Something deep inside her began to feel strange and her stomach swirled. He flicked a strand of short blond hair out of his eyes as he stared at her. The sound of the doctor's footsteps caught her ear and twanged a note of recognition in her mind. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as she felt a large hand fall on her shoulder. She only turned her head in time to see a needle sink into her upper arm._

_She jumped away, cat like reflexes kicking in at the terrible realization of danger. The tall, slim figure moved toward her, doctor's mask covering most of his face. Her head spun and heart pounded as her eyes switched the colors he wore from white to black. This was the same man she had seen in her dream! But that was hardly possible! A dream was a dream, so how could this be? Something had to be wrong. Her already weak legs threatened to fail at supporting her so she pressed her back against the cold wall._

_"I see. . . there is a bit of recognition in your eyes." He tilted his head, "Have you figured it out?"_

_Ichigo scooped a reflex hammer of the counter next to her, "Who are you?" Why couldn't there have been a scouple?_

_"Does that mean you haven't figured it out?" He slipped the stethoscope from around his neck and tapped the earpiece to his chin, "Not that it matters, you won't be on your feet much longer anyway."_

_She swung the little rubber hammer at him, "What do you want? Where is the real doctor?"_

_"He is a real doctor!" The boy interjected, but did not move away from the door._

_"I suppose you did not think I would have a profession, did you?" The man crooned, "But I do, of course."_

_"He has been a doctor for a long time. Everyone considers him an expert in several fields. He is a medical and chemical genious." The boy's bored voice perked a little and a smile spread onto his face._

_Her eyes widened - now she recognized that boy!_

_The man chuckled, "Yes, it comes in handy at times like these. If I say I want a certain patient, you for example, they are more than happy to comply. I can get away with a great many things! I can even handle forcing your parents to leave the hospital."_

_Her parents? What had he done with her parents? Ichigo struggled against the growing, suffocating fog in her mind. If she could get away from them she could get to safety. No window, so the door was the only way out. The only chance she had was to run and run fast. She went for the door but her body teetered and began to fall in the wrong direction. The hammer slipped from her fingers and clanged against the floor. Why? Why was her body failing her when she needed it most? Her hair slid into her eyes as she fell. Strong arms circled her shoulders as she crashed against him. Her stomach twisted as a new recognition jabbed at her mind - She knew these arms as well.  
"No, no!" She whimpered._

_"Oh yes, yes!" The boy grinned, "You figured it out too late. Slow!"_

_The low, sickly smooth voice cooed into her ear, "Don't bother fighting, it only makes it harder on you. Be a good girl for me right now, alright?"_


	14. So It's You

**So It's You**

_Ichigo could feel pressure on her wrists when she tried to move her arms. mind beginning to come out of whatever darkness it had been in. Oh no, not again! Her eyes flew open to assess her situation, heart rate peeking. No blind fold this time but the room was dark so it was hard to see very much, or at all. She shivered as a cold breeze touched her and she began to notice the freezing sensation on her skin, like having ice pressed there too long. Her back was tingling from the contact of something far below her temperature. It took her only a moment to understand that she was bound to a stone wall, chains draped all over her to keep her upright. The cold metal and cold stone made her body feel frozen even through her clothes. Was this an old dungeon? It would make sense. She was having a hard time remembering what happened, so her only option was guessing._

_The shackles dug into her wrists once again as she struggled against all the bindings, though using her legs to hold her up was helpful. There were chains around her waist, neck, arms, and ankles. It felt like her body was frozen to the wall. Her head throbbed as she thrashed wildly and tried to slip her hands out of the shackles. If she could manage to free her hands she might be able to get the other chains off. Some people made a living off of being escape artists. If people could do this for money, surely she could do it to save her own life._

_Her body tensed automatically, head snapping to the side as light suddenly streamed into the room from a doorway. The door swung lazily, the rhythmic thumping of the tall figure's boots echoed over the walls as he entered the room. If it was even possible, her heart beat a bit faster as she watched with wide eyes. The eerie familiarity of his posture and stride terrified her. This was the man from her dream! She shivered at the realization, dread rushing through her. "Who are you?"_

_A light near the door flicked on as if triggered by motion. It was not bright but it was enough to let her see him clearly. Long black hair swayed as he walked, moving like a prince passing his underlings. Most of his hair was swept back into a neat ponytail but some hung free to frame the sculpted features of his face. His menacing smile chilled her to the bone in a different way that the temperature ever could. He was handsome enough to be a model, trim, perfect features, but he had a frighteningly malign look to his blue eyes. Everything about him screamed foul, malicious, criminal, malevolent, and absolutely terrifying. She could almost see the evil aura around him as he came closer._

_"I'm sorry, you're right, I have been rude not to introduce myself until now." He tipped his head her way, voice surprisingly normal sounding considering the situation, "My name is Duke, leader of the Saint Rose Crusaders." His outfit was different from her dream, outrageous, with hints of vintage inspiration, much more like his people dressed. He did not dress quite as wildly as Happy Child or Royal Highness, but close enough. The odd clothing nearly took away from the edge of his intimidation, but not quite._

_"The Leader of Saint Rose Crusaders?" Ichigo echoed in surprise, not fully sure she heard him correctly._

_Duke toned down the intensity of his expression as he looked at her, "Welcome to my home."_

_"Why am I here?" Ichigo cut in before he could continue the fake pleasantry._

_"You are direct, aren't you?" His eyes narrowed slightly, "I brought you here to have a chat."_

_"I don't care what you have to say!" She glared, wishing she had at least one hand free to claw at him._

_"You might not feel that way once you have listened to me a bit." He looked thoughtful for a moment, somehow down-playing the situation, "Little kitty, that is something along the lines of what he calls you, right?"_

_She stiffened, not really wanting to know, but forced to ask, "What?"_

_"I forget what he says now, that boy, the alien. He's quite attached to you, he even stays with you all night to comfort you."_

_"What do you want?" Ichigo repeated a variant of the question she had been asking this man for much too long already._

_"You and my people have had a few run-ins. I have gotten to see your power, Mew Strawberry." His brow furrowed, crinkling that smooth skin, "But you have yet to fully utilize your potential, even now."_

_"What would you know about any of it? It's not like we've ever met in person until now!" She spat, allowing anger to replace fear for the moment._

_"I know more than you might think... I know more about you than anyone."_

_"Don't flatter yourself!" She hissed. _

_"Little cat, you're not so different from my people. You feel alone and isolated, even from your own kind. You want someone to understand you for who you are. . . The trouble is, they never will. You have too many secrets you keep. You could tell people about your secrets but you are too afraid to." He eyed her as if every word should be connection dots in her mind, "Besides, you already know that some of your secrets would cause you to be ostracized the very same way the Crusaders were."_

_Ichigo stared at him, nearly too shaken to speak, "What makes you think you know anything about me?"_

_"That's simple! I do because I've seen it." He swiped a few stray dark hairs back into place, "One of my skills is getting into people's minds, literally. I can go inside the mind of anyone I desire, to find out anything I wish about them. I can't change their thinking or anything of that nature, but I can investigate them, find their weaknesses, enter their thoughts, show them visions, those kinds of things."_

_This time she had no response at all to give._

_"I already studied you; your fears, your thoughts, your feelings. You are a complex girl but I figured you out. You fear a lot of things now that you lost that boy, but there is now something you fear more than your own death."_

_"Is that so?" Ichigo hissed, trying hard to gain back her tongue._

_"It is. You're afraid of having history repeat itself with the new boy in your life." Duke chuckled sadistically, "The fact is, I can make all your fears reality. The Mews have yet to have a glimpse of our true power! I can destroy not only that boy, but your friends and family!"_

_Her heart twisted in her chest, afraid he was not bluffing but hoping he was, "You seem full of yourself! Don't think so highly of yourself! My friends are stronger than you give them credit for!"_

_"Oh, you don't believe me?" He retrieved something from behind his back._

_Ichigo gasped her words more than spoke them, "Kisshu's sword! How did you get that?"_

_"I just borrowed it because I knew you would not believe me otherwise. I will even let you give it back to him if you like." He cackled, as if it was a grand joke, "He doesn't realize it is missing."_

_Fine, he had her attention! "What do you want?"_

_His cold eyes studied her carefully, "Well, little cat, I want to use you, use your body."_

_The color drained for her face, "You what? You mean you're a hentai!"_

_He bellowed with a seemingly genuine laugh, eyes clamping closed for a minute, "You misunderstand my meaning! I don't want to use your body in that way. I mean I intend to make you a tool. I want to use your power." Duke sighed rather dramatically, as if truly regretting his skills were not as vast as he would have liked, "I'm not foolish enough to think I can turn you to my side with pretty words, I have to use other methods."_

_"You have my attention!" Ichigo hissed, eyes narrowing to hide her swelling fear, "So just tell me what you want!"_

_He moved in without warning, so close she could feel his warmth, and traced her jaw line with his index finger, "Though, being perverted with you would not be unpleasant. . ."_

_The chains rattled wildly as she struggled to pull free, "Don't you dare!"_

_"Dare? Should you try to order someone else around when you're chained like this?" His teeth grazed her neck, splayed fingers sliding up her side._

_She shuddered in terror, sickened by how close he was, "Please! I meant, please. . . don't?"_

_"Good girl! You get wiser every time we see each other." He let out a rumbling chuckle into her ear, "Don't worry, I'm only teasing! You're too young for my taste. Sine you're sixteen that means I'm ten years older than you." Duke flicked her nose as if he were scolding a dog, "You're still just jailbait. If it was the wolf girl it might be a different story, but you're the Mew I need right now."_

_"What do you need me for? You still haven't told me!" She turned her head away to keep from looking at him in such a close proximity._

_"I told you, I need you to be my obedient doll for a while. When I give you an order, you must obey. I will open up your powers and use them." He raised Kisshu's dagger up for her to see, "You do care about this boy, correct?"_

_She did not answer._

_"Lying would be no use, dear, even if you said no. I know your feelings as well as you do, maybe better." He had taken a small step back, but it was not enough._

_"What do you care what I feel? None of this has anything to do with him!"_

_"You are wrong about that." His expression turned menacing, even predatory, "If you do not obey I will torture you physically and then I will torture you by killing the ones you love, starting with him. Even the boy you love is as easy to get to as this sword of his. If I can get to this, do you really think I could not get to him?"_

_"Just leave him alone! Leave everyone alone!" It might have been more convincing as a demand had her voice not quivered._

_He pressed the flat of the sword to her cheek, "You can only keep them safe by being good. I can be convinced to leave them alone, but my cooperation and mercy must be purchased." Duke let the sword drop away to his side, "I'm not a bad guy to work for, really! I took in those children, let them know they were worth something, and gave them a purpose. . . Did I not? Because I know the inner cries of their hearts as well as yours, I understand you the best."_

_"Don't talk as if you're some kind of humanitarian after you just threatened to kill people!" Ichigo growled, trying to pull away from the blade._

_"You're not an easy subject to convince, are you?" He dropped the blade away and spun on his heels to face away from her, "Does that mean you agree to comply or not?"_

_Ichigo said nothing, unsure what she could say. There was no way she could agree to help someone like this, not ever! Still, under these conditions, how exactly could she refuse? She could never help him but she could not refuse. He was right, he did have her. It was not being his prisoner that worried her, though it did not please her, but it was his other threats that terrified her. Something in her told her he would not hesitate to do exactly what he said. He intended to take over the world after all, so a plan like that must have calculated in some deaths. He really did not seem like the type to worry over killing a few people, the Crusaders tried to kill them enough times. They had tried to kill a lot of people many times. His lack of concern for human life was why she could not help him, but that was why she had to help him. What could she do? What choices were open to her?_

_"Not sure?" He sighed, stepping away from her fully, "Then I will be forced to be a bit more cruel to you in order to show you the seriousness of my words." _

_He pushed a button on the wall and requested the others join him. Ichigo's heart pounded in her chest as she processed the potentials. What was he going to do to her? She tried to look unmoved but the fear made it hard to look brave. Happy Child entered first, blond hair sparkling in the light of the flickering flame from candlestick in his hand. Royal highness entered next, he looked even more like a vampire in this light and setting. He was not wearing the typical hat so his dark brown hair glistened in the mysterious light of the candle as well. Blue Bayou and Sweet Juliet were close at his heels. They must have been somewhere near, maybe waiting for that call since they arrived so promptly. The four gathered around her like robots waiting for orders. Ichigo struggled to free herself, panic beginning to take over reason. She was totally out numbered._

_Sweet Juliet looked emotionless as she approached her and pulled her long skirt up to reveal the bandages. Ichigo tried to kick at her but found it utterly impossible with the shackles on her ankles. The bandages Kisshu wrapped around her were still in place but it was not hard to see the wounds were bleeding again. Juliet's light hazel eyes did not move to meet Ichigo's as she dropped the skirt again._

_Duke shook his head, a mocking sense of worry on his face, "As I thought, all this struggling you have been doing reopened those wounds." He motioned to them with one finger, "Take her down and bring her to the room. Utamaro can get my things."_

_Duke strolled out of the room like a king going ahead of his subjects. Her mind was already calling up questions such as: 'what room' or 'what things' but she dared not voice them. Blue Bayou moved toward her first, gray eyes fixed on her, dark blond hair swaying back as he lunged into the wall. Ichigo stared wide-eyed at the wall, not quite sure she had seen what she thought. He went right through it! She knew he was inhumanly strong but she had no idea he could do things like that. Had that really happened or was this all stress? For a blissful moment, she allowed the thought of this being a dream to grace her._

_Happy Child turned and left the room as he was ordered to get Duke's "things." The pitiful girl let out a squeak as strong arms like iron wrapped around her shoulders and waist from behind. She twisted away in alarm and caught a glimpse of Blue Bayou. The touch of his skin was as cold against her as the stone wall. He really was in the wall! This had to be a dream but she had a sick feeling it was not! Once he had her the others began stripping the chains away. Ichigo wriggled and kicked at them as soon as the shackles on her ankles were pulled from the wall. Blue Bayou reached a hand up, icy fingers curled around her neck and twisted her head to the side. Pain shot through her spine as he twisted her head unnaturally until she thought her neck would snap. Two vertebra in her neck popped as they were twisted out of alignment. She stilled instantly in hopes of appeasing him in some way._

_"Do not fight or I'll hurt you." He jumped out of the wall with her still securely in his arms._

_Message received! Fighting was not recommended. The three of them dragged her out of the room and down a hallway with little trouble. It took her eyes a few minutes to adjust to the brighter light. The chains on the shackles scraped over the floor as they dragged her with them. She barely had to walk at all the way they were pulling her, practically carrying her. Realizing the futility of fighting them she meekly went along. Blue Bayou's hand was still firmly clamped down on her neck like the mouth of a dog. At the present she did not have much energy to fight them with anyway. Her body was nowhere near fully recovered. The chill in the air made it hard to fight off the shivers her body wanted to give in to. The only sense of comfort their firm grips were was the little bit of warmth their touch provided._

_She was jerked down another hallway and hauled into a new but unwelcome room. She tensed as she looked over her new surroundings with no great pleasure. It looked like a hospital but even more like a room for experiments you might expect to find in the home of a mad scientist. Duke and Happy Child were standing next to a metal table awaiting her arrival. Things were about to go very badly for her, clearly! At the sight of the table she began to resist; it earned her almost no ground at all but a great deal more pain from her captors. They tossed her around like a rag doll. The room was all a blur as they lifted her and jarred her around wildly. She could not accurately fight against them since she could not even figure out her placement in the world; up, or down, she had no idea. Before she knew what was happening cold metal seared into her back again. She could not move fast enough to keep the chains out of their many hands and in seconds she was bound down to the table. Once she was secured everyone but Duke stepped back._

_"Very good! Thank you everyone." Duke smiled like he was praising a pet and took the large case from Happy Child._

_Duke ruffled the boy's hair and then opened the bag. There was little range of motion available but she could hear the sound of metal clanking against metal; it was like tools clanking in a tool chest. They all stood back, hovering close to the table, staring down at her like spectators before a game. She felt like she was suddenly playing a role in a horror movie and had been cast as the victim. Why did she have the feeling she had become the cult sacrifice? Ichigo gulped back the rising panic laced terror hooking into her spine. Duke set out a strange, long needle and some other strange looking metal instrument on a nearby table. He set the candlestick in front of him next to the other things. Kisshu's sword was retrieved from somewhere in his coat again. Her heart fluttered with fear as he held the blade over the flame, moving it back and forth._

_He lifted his blue eyes and looked at his people, "You four will likely need to hold her still for me, the chains won't be enough."_

* * *

_Kisshu hovered in the leaves of the tall tree. He cupped his fingers in a circle as he watched the car slip away down the road. Why had her parents left without her? They seemed quite distraught but they only muttered unintelligibly to each other as they slipped inside the car. They had been in that human hospital all night. Once in a while he caught sight of them but Ichigo was already with a doctor – She must still be with a doctor. Even so, it did not make a lot of sense that her parents left without her. How serious was Ichigo's condition? If it was serious, why did they leave her alone?_

_He kicked at a branch. Enough with this hiding outside business, it was time to go in. Frustrated fists grasped the pendant to hide the momentary glow as he altered the appearance of his hair, eyes, and ears. Until tonight he had never attempted to enter a hospital for the humans but he was finished with the waiting game. He jumped out of the tree and casually strolled onto the sidewalk to mix in with the humans who were coming and going from the large sliding glass doors. _

_The doors swished as they slid open, air rushing around them as he entered. Kisshu held his chin up to avoid looking nervous. He allowed the worry to show in his eyes, knowing such signs were alright in a place like this. All he had to avoid was looking nervous because he was out of place. That would come off to them as threatening because they would not understand his reasons. He had to remember that he looked as human as any of them so he would get past them if he remained calm. Before making a move he watched what the other humans did for a few minutes. It appeared that everyone had to check in. If they were looking for someone they inquired at the glassed in desk. There were a group of nurses behind the desks as well as scurrying around in the halls. He listened carefully to the language and phrases the humans used to look for their sick loved ones._

_He lingered in the waiting area a few more minutes before he walked to the desk, "Hello!"_

_A nurse looked up at him, "May I help you?"_

_"I am looking for my sister, Ichigo Momoiya. Can you tell me where or how she is?"_

_The nurse eyed him and then clicked a few keys on the computer, "Sorry, there is no such patient staying here."_

_Kisshu gulped, "What? There must be! My parents brought her here several hours ago! I know they did!"_

_A few more clicks of the keys, "She was here, but she was discharged and went home."_

_Kisshu gaped at her, "There must be a mistake! She is not at home! Why do you think I'm here?"_

_She sighed, "I'm sorry, but that is the record I have for her. You should try calling your parents."_

_"Look, I already did, and I know your record is wrong. Could you check again? I don't have to see her I just need to know how she is."_

_The clicking resumed but she shook her head, "I'm afraid I don't have anything to help you. There is a chance she was transferred to a different hospital, but it is not in the record."_

_Kisshu spun on his heels. What was going on? Ichigo was here, he knew she was! She could have been moved in an ambulance though and he would not have seen. Maybe she had been transferred and that is why they left alone. He would have to go back to the house to search for them. After this much time there was no way to track the car. Something strange was in the air, he felt it. He had the worst feeling something was amiss but he could not put a finger on what it was. Something in him was sending pulsing signals of alert. The moment that woman said Ichigo was not here tingles of foreboding ran from his toes to the top of his head. Where was she? What strange things were going on? He did not like this, not one bit! He should have stayed closer, he would have known what was happening if he had come in sooner._

_"Where are you now, Ichigo?" Kisshu breathed as he left the hospital._

_He would return after he searched the city. Before he left he would be sure to check her house to see if the hospital was somehow correct or if her parents said where she was. It was always possible she ran away. Maybe her sickness caused some kind of delirium in her. Whatever it was that happened, he would find her no matter what. She only went to the hospital! People were not supposed to go missing from the hospital!_

* * *

_Her body was trembling uncontrollably. Between what he referred to as "cauterizing" the wounds with Kisshu's flame heated sword and then stitching them closed it had been an ordeal. He said he was a doctor so of course he had to give her stitches. She knew what he was really doing – This was all in order to "convince" her to go along with whatever crazy scheme he had. At least Sweet Juliet pulled Ichigo's clothing back into proper placement after Duke finished – It added insult to injury having her skirt pulled far enough up that all of them could see her underwear. It felt like he was objectifying her yet again, treating her like a toy. Blue Bayou and the others had held her still while Duke worked. Her wrists and arms ached nearly as much as the wounds did from her struggles against shackles and the unforgiving holds they all had on her. Even Happy Child turned out to be a lot stronger than he looked. She had struggled even though she knew she could not free herself; she could not help struggling because the pain made it impossible to hold still._

_"There, now you won't bleed to death on us." Duke gazed into her glazed eyes._

_Ichigo was too weakened to respond in any form, too exhausted to lift her head. _

_The chains slid free and he leaned over her, "You won't be fighting anymore, will you?"_

_With what little strength she had in her she glared up at him – He knew she was drained enough that she could not fight and therefore she was not a threat. _

_"All of that out of the way though," He produced a syringe, "it is time we started awakening your power, Mew Ichigo."_

_"W-what are you doing?" She whimpered._

_"It's alright! This should not be too bad. I don't anticipate it being painful for you, you only need to relax for me."_

_Ichigo could not even manage to pull away as the needle moved toward her neck. She winced as it slowly sunk in, sliding like butter through her skin and sharply making its way through the muscles until she felt it thunk against her vertebra. He cautioned her again to remain still when she sucked in a hard breath. She could feel the liquid flow hot through her veins like liquid fire. She felt it mix with her blood and flow rapidly through the areas surrounding her neck and shoulders. Her fingers wrapped impulsively into his sleeve as she felt it travel to her brain. She cried out and rolled, still clutching his sleeve._

_"Easy, don't fight it. Relax, Mew Ichigo, and it will go easier for you." Duke murmured into her ear._

_Relax, what did he mean relax? Did he have liquid fire running through his body and brain? See how well he relaxed with an injection like this! He was just like a doctor, always say it would be "just a pinch" or nonsense like that. She shrieked, back arched, eyes close tightly as the terrible burning spread over her brain. She saw sudden flashes of light but then it finally turned to a solid, blinding glow. The table was gone, she did not feel it anymore. She did not know what was happening; she only knew she wished she were dead. The only thing she could feel was the terrible pain wracking her body._

* * *

_Her body was glowing now as the five of them watched her. The reaction was a bit more than he expected, but not a negative aspect yet – He expected this to be much calmer and simpler than this. She screamed and squirmed as her body hovered in the air. Her Mew Mew form appeared and her tail lashed wildly. Tears streamed out of the corners of her eyes. It was fascinating to watch this marvelous turn of events. He knew what was creating this dramatic and violent reaction inside her and it pleased him to know that he was right. The four youths seemed almost fearful as they watched but none of them spoke. They trusted him enough to believe he knew what he was doing. The girls suffering seemed interminable, but still they watched silently. Their loyalty was unwavering no matter what he did._

_The light began to fade signaling the end to her reaction. Duke quickly stepped forward, carefully softening her descent by dropping with her. He rested her still form on his knee and cradled her carefully. Her eyes were closed, nearly as if in death. She was still breathing though so it was fine. Her Mew transformation had not dissipated yet though the way he expected it to. To ensure she could not fight when she revived he would have to be sure to chain her well. He would put her on a bed this time though, rather than putting her body through the stressful position the wall would induce._

_"Duke, what do we do with her now?" Royal highness moved a bit closer, cold eyes fixed on her._

_He stood, little girl resting against him, "She will need a lot of rest at the present so we will keep her in one of the rooms. She has to be chained securely of course, but she must be allowed to rest. I can't have her dying on us yet."_

_The four of them followed as Duke left the room. They switched off the lights and the door bolted closed with a thunk. Unless invited to enter, no one but Duke went in that room. Unfortunately for her, they guessed that girl would be visiting it again soon enough though. Her time with them would not be any more pleasant than when she was attacked in the outside world. Of course, in here, he had unlimited access to her._

**AN: Ok, so I did use the A la Mode villains. Remember, I told you guys all the characters I used belonged to TMM. Admitedly, since there was SO little to really go on, I kinda made them into what I think they should have been. I did not care for A la Mode, I only read it in hopes that the bad guys would be developed. I was waiting for that because they had SO much promise! I thought they were utterly under done... so, I fixed it. If you liked them as they were... I'm sorry ahead of time.**

**Changes: 1. Duke is evil like he should be (I practically made him my own... I drew from what he was in the manga but did not stay on script) 2. I gave Blue Bayou another ability... considering they developed him not at alllllll 3. I showed Happy Child's emo, very strange self that the manga alluded to, the side other than the smiley one. **

** You will see more later, I made a bunch.  
Hope you all don't hate me over this chapter...**


	15. Missing

_Kisshu massaged his temples, tired eyes throbbing, and a yawn tugging at his jaw. It had been a long night of searching. He learned nothing at all from listening to the parents. For whatever reason they did not seem to realize Ichigo was gone. That could mean they knew where she was, which would give credence to what the hospital said about her being transferred. He could not think of any other reason that they would not be worried over her absence. Sakura spoke of her twice but it sounded almost as if she thought Ichigo was simply in her room. Their behavior did strike him as odd. When they took Ichigo to the hospital they had been so insistent and worried over her, so why were they so calm now. Something about them seemed amiss but he had no idea what it might be. Their behavior made him feel all the more worried for some reason._

_The sun was peeking over the hills to welcome a new day – Of course he was not ready for it since he had not even had a night. He had visited a few other hospitals but they had no record of Ichigo being sent there at all. They had suggested she might have been sent to a private clinic but they were of no more help than that. If it was a private clinic of some kind he would have no way to find her at all. Without the ability to talk to her parents directly he had little recourse. The only thing he could do was search – He searched the way he had before, looking at all the usual places she went to. _

_He wished desperately now that he stayed closer. It was only the day before, he resolved to never leave her side, so why had he been so foolish? If only he had been closer he would have known what happened. Perhaps he should have just taken her away when they suggested a hospital but he did not think at the time it would be a bad thing. His fruitless searching had only convinced him that something was wrong. When it came to her he always had the ability to feel when she needed him, somehow. He felt it so strongly now it was killing him._

_His eyes clamped shut as the word tumbled out in a scream, "Ichigo!"_

_He could feel it, he knew she was in trouble. Images of that dream had been flashing through his mind all night as he looked for her. Each place he searched without finding her felt like a punch to the gut. He could not stand this fear that steadily rose inside him. Never, he never wanted to see what happened in that dream come true in reality. Whatever it took he absolutely had to find her and bring her back. When he found her this time he would never take her safety for granted again. No matter where she was going he would be close at her side from now on. _

* * *

__

Duke smiled to himself as he sat in his darkened, windowless room. The large throne like chair fit his body perfectly. A lone candle flame danced in place on the stand next to the bed. He liked to sit in here in the dark, he could focus better this way. Watching his dolls without interruption was best this way too. That boy really was in love with her. Being away from her made him suffer terribly, especially since he knew the circumstances indicated the girl was in peril. His emotions of fear, dread, and terror were wonderful. He sighed and crossed his arms behind his head. All the pieces were fitting together just as he intended. It would not be long at all before they belonged to him as his cute little puppets. He did need to stir things up a bit more though, it was getting boring. Later today he would play with them both again. Of course, before he did that he would need. . .

_Royal Highness stepped into the room and Duke watched him come; the expression on his face was as readable as a book. After all this time he could always tell what each of those children were really thinking no matter how they tried to hide it. Of the four, Royal Highness and Happy child might have been his favorites – They were so skilled and perfect. The boy had the face of a skillfully crafted doll; all of them did though, in their own ways. Each of them made him think of a doll, but each were crafted by different makers. These four were his best dolls, they were his special collection. Once he added Ichigo and Kisshu to the collection he would have the most perfect set of all. _

_Though he had a feeling he would add more dolls to his collection after this plan was finished. He never grew tired of manipulating those strings of his marionettes, their feelings, thoughts, ideas, and futures belonged to him when the last strings were pulled tight. Still, the dolls he had now and the two he was about to add would always be his favorites no matter how many he added later. Admittedly he was enjoying the capturing of those two the most of all his dolls; it would be so fun when he drain their spirits from them._

_"What is it, Akizuki? Something is troubling you, is it?" Duke purred._

_The eighteen year old floated gracefully into a chair, dark clothes mingling with the black upholstery of the seat, "Yes, there is, Duke. I have a great many questions. . ."_

_"Really?" Duke leaned forward, "What questions might those be?"_

_"One is that I don't understand why you are helping that girl awaken her powers. Is she not still our enemy? Why would you help her fully realize her powers?"_

_"That is quite simple, Akizuki, I need her to be powerful. If she does not become as powerful as she is capable of she will be of no use to my plans. I absolutely must have her powers, so I must assist her in awakening them."_

_"You don't need her, you know. We are more than powerful enough to do anything you need us to. Whatever it is you require we can accomplish it." Royal Highness' voice was even and calm but his eyes betrayed him._

_Duke smiled knowingly, "Calm yourself, there is no need to fear for your positions. I have absolute faith in each of you and in your abilities."_

_Blue eyes pierced the boy until his gray eyes fell to the floor. Royal Highness always seemed haughty, confident, arrogant, and even conceited – The trouble was it was nothing more than a front to hide his fears. The cool, distant, phlegmatic exterior was nothing more than shadows and mirrors. Inside the teen was insecure, anxious, and self-doubting. Rejected by both family and society he no longer could believe in his own worth. Royal Highness and Happy Child were quite alike in that regard. His insecurity was truly his greatest enemy and weakness but he tried desperately to hide it. He clung to anything that made him feel of worth and was constantly terrified of the loss of those things. Like all the Crusader's he felt lost and alone in the world he was born to and was more hurt by its rejection of him over things he could not control than words could say. Duke knew all too well how the boy really felt and thought; all those fears served him quite well since they made him easy to manipulate, poor child._

_"Then why do you need her?" Royal Highness persisted. _

_"Simple! You see, I dare not use any of you for this aspect of my plan because you are all far too precious to me, it is too risky to use you. What that girl must do for me is quite dangerous. I must have her do it because she is expendable. If she perishes in the execution of her duties for me it is no great loss."_

_Brows furrowed above gray eyes, "What about that alien?"_

_"In his case the job he will do for me can truly only be done by him. The necessity in my obtaining his compliance is quite crucial because of who he is and what he is capable of. I must have the alien because he is the crux of my plan."_

_"In that case, what can I do to help you obtain him, Duke?"_

_"For one thing, we must use the girl to ensure his compliance. As long as we have her he will do as we say." Duke smiled and tilted his head, "Speaking of the girl though, you find her attractive, do you not?"_

_A rare bit of color rose in the teen's cheeks, "I-I suppose in some manner I have occasionally found certain aspects of her appealing, but – "_

_"Wonderful!" Duke chuckled, "Then I insist that you have a little bit of fun with her. You can do anything you wish with her, play with her to your hearts delight."_

_The redness deepened in Akizuki's cheeks, "I don't think I understand."_

_"I want you to have fun with her, since you like her. . . but I need you to do so for more than simple pleasure. I do not simply want you to frighten her, I want you to terrify her! I hope you can be especially cruel to her. I need her to be more frightened of us than anything else. We will become the proverbial monster under her bed, and to do that we must act like monsters, exploiting her fears."_

_Royal Highness tilted his head, "What exactly do you want me to do to her?"_

_A devilish smile made its way onto Duke's face. "You can be imaginative . . . but I have a few suggestions you could use."_

* * *

__

He opened the door to the ship and swiftly entered. It was dark inside as the door shut. The lights were not yet on but at least there was a soft glow of phosphorescent light along both sides of the hall floors. It was not enough to see with but it was enough that they could always find their way around. The darkness was a bit of a comfort to him since he had begun to develop a headache. The bright sun was not helping his tired eyes at all. The only bad thing about this was that the longer he was in this marvelous darkness the more he was tempted to go to his room and do a glorious thing called "sleep." 

_He stretched; arms high over his head, back arched, and toes curled. Sleep would be nice but not just yet. Gliding down one hallway he headed for Taruto's room. The last time they spoke he said the Mew Mew's already knew he was here. Just as the bedroom door swished open he heard a noise farther down the hallway. With another yawn Kisshu headed in the direction Taruto must have been. As he drew closer he saw a light on in their food area, what humans referred to as a kitchen or cafeteria. He saw the young boy fishing around for food._

_Kisshu glided in next Taruto, "Yo, Taruto!"_

_Taruto turned in surprise but quickly smiled, "Hey, Kisshu! What's up?"_

_At least the kid's attitude was better today than before, "I had a question for you."_

_"Oh yeah?" Taruto raked his eyes over him, "You ok? You look a little. . ."_

_"Never mind how I look!" Kisshu shook his head, "I wanna know if you've seen Ichigo? Do you know if Pudding or the others know where she is?"  
Taruto looked at him, "You mean you don't know where she is? You are the one who's been with her."_

_"I know, but her parents took her to a hospital and I haven't seen her since. Her parents eventually came home but Ichigo was not with them."_

_"Hmmm. . . that's weird. Her parents did not mention why she was not with them?"_

_"No, and I could not exactly ask them."_

_"Maybe the doctors just wanted to keep her over night or something."_

_"Maybe. . ." Kisshu frowned and decided not to tell him how long he had been working on the hospital angle, "But I have a bad feeling about all this."_

_Taruto crossed his legs as he hovered in the air, "What kind of feeling?"_

_"I'm not totally sure, it just feels like there is something wrong. I'm really worried. Something about all this just feels off. Weird stuff has been going on."_

_Taruto shrugged, "There may be nothing to worry about though. Still, I'll find out from the Mew Mews if they know anything." He eyed him, "But while I do that maybe you should go lie down for a while. I can wake you up when I get back."_

_ Kisshu nodded reluctantly, "Ok, I guess."_

_When he made no move to go Taruto grabbed him by the arm and dragged him all the way to his room. Once the door was open Kisshu was shoved into his room and instructed harshly to stay there. The door swished shut as Taruto left. For some reason he suddenly felt more like the kid in this situation than he did the adult. He was even letting himself be pushed around and told what to do, which was not his usual way. It must be true, he had to be more tired than he thought. By the way to squirt was acting he must have looked worse than he even felt._

_The fact was that he was out of options anyway. There were no other places he could look and nothing else he knew to do. Taruto was the best chance he had of finding anything out at all. If the Mew Mews started looking for Ichigo at least they could ask her parents directly without trying to gather information from tidbits of conversation they had. All the things he knew to do were failing right now. He had run out of ideas totally. He hated feeling so helpless and knowing there was nothing else he could do._

_Kisshu sighed in frustration and dropped onto the bed as his mind wandered over the past several hours. There had to be something he was missing in all of this. Somewhere, he was overlooking some explanation or some clue._

* * *

__

Ichigo was surprised when she awakened that she was in her Mew form. She did not even remember transforming. Now that she was in it she would not be so helpless though, she hopped. The chains were still there as always. The ones on her ankles were draped over the metal railing of the bed and bolted to the floor. That would not have been an issue if she could have reached down far enough to get to the floor. Unfortunately her wrists were shackled over her head. They were securely hooked around the bedpost, and possibly the wall too. She worked to squeeze her hand out of the shackle but it was incredibly hard and she was not gaining much ground at all. So far she was mainly just hurting her hand.

_"So, you're awake! That's good." A sickly smooth voice greeted her cat ears._

_Ichigo tensed, eyes darting to meet him as he came in._

_Royal Highness hovered next to the bed, eyes menacing, "It saves me the trouble of waking you."_

_She cringed when he kicked the end of the bed sending it sliding fast over the stone floor. The shackles dug into her ankles as she fell partially off the bed; the chain on her left ankle tethered to the floor but the chain on right caught on the bed and drug her with it. Ichigo tried to shake the right chain free but was not finding it an easy task. Her wrists ached as she was forced to pull down on them as she struggled with the chains. She was suspended uncomfortably between the floor and the bed._

_"Duke is right, you are an interesting girl. There is a lot about you we still don't know."_

_Ichigo tried to ignore him as she wrestled with the chains._

_"Do you remember how you got that bite mark on your shoulder, Mew Strawberry?"_

_She paused to level him with a cold but confused stare._

_"Did you know that I was the one controlling those three guys?" A stony smirk crossed his lips as he looked at her. "Duke ordered it, of course, but I was the one controlling them. Did you enjoy that little game?"_

_"That was you? You are lower and more despicable than I thought! I didn't know you guys were behind that too!" She hissed at him angrily, tail lashing, "You really are the worst! You are the lowest bunch I've ever known! You guys are just sick, especially you!"_

_He smiled as he jerked the bed back into place, dragging her leg hard over the floor. She struggled not to be dragged under the bed as it moved. His long, bony fingers dug into her thigh and arm as he roughly put her back onto the bed. When he reached over her head she felt the chains tighten as he took away the slack. She tried to pull the slack back but he fastened them in place somehow. He stared down at her, gray eyes as cold as winter, and pulled a long black cloth from his pocket. He descended on her binding it around her mouth._

_"I wouldn't want you to scream in my ear." He chuckled, "Now that you will stay relatively quiet I can have a bit of fun with you."_

_She screamed and growled at him but it was so muffled by the gag that it hardly did any good._

_His eyes wandered over her, "I shall indeed have to enjoy myself." _

_Ichigo cringed as his fingers glided up her leg. Though she tried to kick at him it did no good at all. Pain vibrated up her leg as her thrashing did nothing more than to cause her foot to connect hard with the metal bedpost. He was clearly amused by her injury as well as her vain attempts to get at him._

_She gasped, heart pounding wildly as he sailed over her and straddled her. The first thought she had aside from fear was how heavy he was. She tried to jostle him off but he sat solidly and chuckled at her efforts. His eyes had turned predatory in nature like a beast. Instantly she stopped wriggling as she noticed him eyeing the movement and her chest. _

_Nothing could have prepared her for the horror she felt as his fingers traced the fuzzy line of her pink Mew top. Never had she felt more keenly how little there was to this dress. He jerked her arm away from her face and twisted her head to the side. When he leaned forward his cool breath stroked her neck and sent tentacles of terror racing around her heart. He nipped at her neck with sharp teeth._

_"I will show you what a real bite is like." He tilted his head; she felt his mouth open and then felt the prick of his canine teeth sinking into her neck._

_Despite her determination to be brave a whimper escaped her as he took a gulp of her blood. She could feel his lips and teeth and tongue as he drank. Terror choked her as she felt him sucking away her blood. The room was already beginning to spin but she could not tell if it was from blood loss or fear. Pain shot up her neck as she felt him roll his fangs down to deepen the bite and increase the flow of blood. She dared not move or struggle for fear it would make it worse._

_After what seemed like hours she finally felt his fangs slide out but his lips lingered. His tongue flicked at the wounds, moist lips moving against her skin. She cringed as the tip of his tongue sunk as far as it could into the holes he left. This too seemed like it would never end. She just wanted him off her! She wanted out of this place! She wanted Kisshu! If only he could come save her again. He had no way of knowing where she was, she knew that, but it did not stop the hope she held onto. If wishes really came true he would storm through that door right now and toss him aside. If only he could really come! Royal Highness drew back into a sitting position but did not move off her._

_He licked the blood from his lips lustfully, "You tasted better than I was hoping for."_

_He cupped her face with one hand as he stared down at her. She dared not even begin to think what might be on his mind now. The way he looked at her, she hated it, hated it! This made her feel even more powerless. Why was there nothing she could do? He moved in again, face brushing against the other side of her face, lips touching the old bite mark. Was he going to bite her again on that side too?_

_Ichigo twisted her head to try to block him. She hoped he could not feel how badly she was trembling. With everything in her she was trying not to show him how afraid she was or how detestable she found his touch, but it was so hard to hide it. Her body gave away her fear all too well. His fingers hooked the gag and pulled it down. She closed her lips tightly as he pressed his mouth to hers. She could feel his wet kiss molesting her lips and it made her shudder in revulsion. His hands began to explore her._

_"No, please!" She was silenced with his lips pressed hard over hers._

_His fingers dug into her jaw – He gripped it so tightly she could not move it. Unwillingly, her mouth was opened enough that he could slip his tongue inside. She whined and whimpered in protest. This was not happening! She could not bring herself to think of what he was going to do to her. Even though he was not doing it directly, last time she was in a situation like this she had only been saved by Kisshu's return. There was nothing to stop him this time, nothing at all. Her body trembled beneath him as his mouth battered hers. His kiss was hard and strong. All she could do was whimper, tears running down her face._

_Large hands found her chest and began to fondle her roughly. His mouth retreated to her neck again. She began to sob as his lips wandered over her collarbone. This was more than she could endure. She did not want this! She did not want it to be like this, didn't want her first time to be like this. She hated this feeling! Kisshu! The tears rolled down her cheeks. His head rested on her chest and his hands fell away. The sobs kept coming as she waited for his next move but he lay against her motionless._

_"Cut it out already! I'm starting to feel bad about this." He sat up and climbed off her, "Jeez. You win, I'll stop."_

_He slunk to the door like a defeated child. It was almost as if he failed to carry out a mission of some kind. She watched him leave and was not sure if she could really believe it. He might have been playing tricks on her. Maybe he was just going to let her think it was over but he really intended to come back. If only she knew for sure!_

* * *

__

Kisshu's eyes opened sharply. Had he been asleep? He must have been but he did not really remember falling asleep at all. It was not the shocking though considering how tired he really was. What was the sound just now that roused him from his sleep? Was Taruto back? He rubbed his eyes and popped his neck. Whatever position he had been sleeping in was clearly not a good one judging by the way his body felt. His right arm was totally numb so he must have been laying on it the whole time.

_A low, almost inaudible laugh made him jump up. That was it! That was the reason he woke up! He froze as his eyes scanned the dark room. No one was in here besides him. What was going on? He moved to the door and into the hall. Someone had to be in here somewhere! He did not imagine that laugh! He heard it again but could not tell where it was coming from. It was almost like it was inside his head. The laugh was a bit like a child's but it was so strange. It was not Taruto's voice at all, in fact he did not think he knew that voice at all. "Watch out!" It whispered. His eyes wildly dashed around but there was nothing here. The ship was empty, he could tell. What was going on?_

_"Didn't I tell you that you did not have enough strength to protect her?" He knew that voice!_

_Kisshu whirled but saw no one. The voice echoed in his head again. He cradled his head in his hands as the man's voice rattle his mind. What was this? Was he still dreaming? Did he just think he was awake?_

_A cold hand touched his shoulder and he swung for it, but again, there was nothing._

_"I told you!" The man cackled, "You will never be able to keep her from me!"_

_"Who are you?" Kisshu howled._

_"I'm the man who is going to kill the girl you love, and there is nothing you can do to stop me!"_

_Kisshu dashed through the halls in search of the voice but each room was empty, "Where are you?"_

_"Right here!" _

_He whirled and saw the masked face from his dream. The man was so close they were a mere breath apart. He reeled backward but not in time; something hard crashed against the side of his head. The world began to spin and he slowly sank to the floor. The luminous panels in the hallway began to dim as he watch the man move around him. His mind was so jumbled he could not even begin to think. _

_"Guess who wins, again? The looser gets to suffer a little game at my house. Pathetic, I was hoping for a little more fight from you."_

_Kisshu struggled to stand but his stomach threatened to revolt. A quick movement caught his attention but his reflexes were slow. His neck ached as a second blow cracked against throat. Darkness was instant._


	16. Here with the Enemy

**Here with the Enemy**

_Royal Highness stopped cold in his tracks when he saw Duke. The sigh of his leader waiting for him in the hallway was intimidating. If he had headed to his room sooner he might have avoided this. It was too late to go back now though since he had been spotted. If he bolted it would be rather obvious he had something to be ashamed of. He hoped he would not be angry that he had not done everything he was instructed to do. His gray eyes met the floor. Duke should have sent someone else for such a malicious, person-to-person deed. Doing things like that . . . it seemed so distasteful to him. He preferred to fight an enemy at a distance; his style was more a range fighting. Mind games were fine, but if it came to things like that he would rather stand back and let the others do it. There had to be something about the person he had strong feelings of hate toward before he could find it in himself to torment them on a personal level._

_He had been told to make the girl suffer as much as possible but he just could not bring himself to torture her. He was not fully sure why he could not hate her. It was normally not that hard to find a reason to hate someone but he found nothing in her. Once she started crying he really lost his nerve. He could not quite hate that girl, she was too innocent. That girl was even a bit like him. There were things about her that reminded him of himself and his own inner feelings. She was different from normal humans, just like they were. She understood what it was like, he could tell. When he went after the Mew Mews it had always seemed less personal and he just refused to think much about it. When they fought before it did not seem so personal, they were just enemies he was supposed to kill. If he was going to do something he found it easier to us others – Personally harming someone was so . . . difficult unless he hated them. _

_When he hypnotized people and made them do his bidding it felt like he was separated from the ill deeds even though he ordered it. He hated humans so that was easy to do but when it came to someone like himself it became more difficult to separate himself from it. Duke and the others would call him weak for that most likely. He wished he could be better, more like he always made people think he was, more like the others. It would be better if he could be more like Duke. Their leader was the strongest of any, he had no weakness at all. That man was the idea leader, perfect, and he accepted them all for who they were. If Duke really wanted to have her tortured and afraid he should have sent Happy Child, he was the best at it out of the group. Yuzen sighed as he moved closer to his leader. He really needed to become stronger in order to be useful. It always surprised him that Duke took even him into the group. The others he understood since they were better and stronger. He really owed Duke so much for allowing him to stay. It made him feel worse when he failed, knowing he let him down, and he hated that. The Mew Mews were not allies, so they were enemies that needed to be destroyed; he had to keep that in mind next time._

_Duke pushed away from the wall and strolled toward him, "How did it go?"_

_"It went alright . . ." He hated it when Duke wore that mask, it made it impossible to read his expression._

_"Really? You did not do very much to her though, did you, Akizuki?"_

_"I did! I just . . ." He remembered his composure, "I could have done more to her but she was boring me. She was so pathetic it was uninspiring." Royal Highness crossed his arms over his chest._

_Duke leaned closer, "It's fine, I expected as much. Did you think I would not anticipate this considering I know you have such a soft nature in matters like that? I already knew you would not be able to do as I asked this time," He draped an arm over Royal Highness' shoulder, "But I know you will do better next time. You don't ever make the same mistakes twice, after all."_

_He cringed, "No, I will not fail you again, I swear! I'm sorry! I know I made a mistake . . ."_

_"It's fine! I told you I already knew it would go that way, so I'm not angry. I did not expect it to end differently." Duke's arm slid away as he began walking, "I must attend to something now though, so I will see you later."_

_Royal Highness clutched his chest, not daring to watch him walk away. Failure! He failed and Duke knew it! Soft nature. What that really meant was "weakling." Duke had been kind not to put it that way but it was impossible to miss in what was said. Receiving a beating would have felt better than that. He wished he had yelled at him. Duke was so forgiving of him that it made his failure to obey even worse. Saying he knew he would not be able to carry out the order was nearly like saying Duke expected failure from him._

_No, no, no! He was not weak, he would not be weak! This would not happen again! He would not disappoint Duke again, not ever! Next time he would not show mercy, he would do as he was told! He did not want to be weak because weakness meant he was useless. He did not want to be useless to Duke! If he was useless he could not stay in the Crusaders . . . and this was all he had! He was nothing, had nothing without them. Fear pricked at his mind. What would he even do if Duke decided he did not want him here anymore? Yuzen bolted for his room._

* * *

__

Duke could not help but smirk when he heard the door slam closed. Poor Akizuki. It was a bit of a shame to be cruel to him but it had to be done. That boy was so easy to manipulate it was almost sad. He always played right into the palm of his hand. The teen's emotions were so easy to manipulate and alter to suit his purposes. Playing his fears was quite a simple but amusing task. Tormenting him was as fun as tormenting the new dolls. He had to be careful with Akizuki though. Working with him was like walking a fine line – Pushing too far would cause the boy to shatter the way Utamaro almost did the day he first showed himself to them. Had he not stepped in that day the boy would have died by his own doing. 

_It was fortunate he had been there to watch them as he always did. None of them had any idea how long he had watched them – They did not even know that much of the misfortune that befell them had been his doing. Not all their suffering had been caused by him; quite often he merely had to sit back and watch life take its toll. Humans were so wicked to anything they did not understand. Those with power were seen at first as a tool but eventually became viewed as a threat. Humans naturally tormented each other and that fact was only amplified by those they saw as "different." Uniqueness was not valued it was crushed. Humans deserved anything they got and it would be his pleasure to plunge the world into suffering. They asked for it. They deserved to be punished._

_As he moved past a window he stopped – His fingers wrapped around the cold metal handle and he bolted it. This was no time for unbolted windows now that they had a guest that could fly away. He moved ahead swiftly, black coat billowing around him like a long cape. The sound of a table hitting the stone walls made him chuckle – He had a hunch what he was about to find. _

_He turned the corner and entered the main room in time to see Blue Bayou send the alien to the floor with a hard blow to the jaw. Chains clanked as the aliens body jostled wickedly from the impact. Happy Child floated over the scene with a gleeful grin on his face. There was a clear hint of annoyance on Blue Bayou's face. Tatara had so much rage inside him. That might have been part of what gave him so much strength. The only thing that ever seemed to perk him up was fighting, the only time he had the chance to work out a bit of that anger and hate he bottled inside himself. Duke glanced around the room for Sweet Juliet but she was not here. She must have found this display either distasteful or boring and had gone to her room. It was rare that he did not find her with Blue Bayou. Though he tended to be the one that followed her, they were almost always together. The lovely Yura Yamashita might have been one of the only people Takenori felt any real feelings toward._

_"I see he is trying to awaken. It has not been a problem, has it, Takenori?" _

_Tatara looked up and shook his head, eyes only slightly less than bored, "No, not really. Nothing I can't handle."_

_Duke moved in beside them to gaze over it all, "Not to worry, even he won't be able to shake off the effects of the drug I gave him a few minutes ago."_

_The alien struggled against the chains, eyes glazed over like murky water. He could not have been fully aware of his circumstances, surroundings, or much else with the power of the drugs flowing inside him. Still, he was stubborn, fighting hard to sift past the drug to regain clarity. Though he knew very little of his circumstances he clearly knew he wanted to get at them. The inner struggle was practically visible inside him as he struggled to stand again. It was a pathetic spectacle. He finally gained a little ground as he floated a little ways from the ground but he could barely manage to stay upright at all. His orientation had to be off and Duke would wager he could not even see clearly._

_Utamaro floated up beside the near catatonic creature, "Do you want to play that much, alien?" He grinned, "I'll play with you, if you like!"_

_Happy Child directed a mild ultrasonic wave around Kisshu, giggling wildly. The alien cried out, body twisting and contorting with pain. To sensitive ears like that even a mild attack would have been excruciating, not to mention it would unbalance his equilibrium even more radically. Kisshu crashed to the ground and tried to cover his ears but the shackles made it impossible, especially since his mind was hardly capable of much reasoning. Duke could tell Happy Child was also using his ability to speak into the creatures mind and he was mildly curious as to what he was saying to him._

_Duke knelt beside the two and placed a hand on Happy Child's shoulder, "That is enough for the moment. If you keep going much longer you will shatter his eardrums." _

_"Oh, right, I guess I should stop then." Happy Child relented._

_Duke ruffled the boys blond hair with his gloved hand. This boy was truly the perfect doll and he could not have asked for better. Happy Child's anguish over his rejection by the world had turned into a great deal of loneliness, depression, and self-loathing. However, he had not stopped there, more than self-loathing he had soon begun to loath the world. For their rejection of his birth he wanted to make them suffer as he had, he wanted them to pay. Over the years his feelings had turned more from self-loathing to a desire for revenge on a world that betrayed him for no other reason than that he was born different. Of the four this boy was most like him. Of all of them, Duke understood this child the best. Unlike Royal Highness, this child had nearly lost his capacity for empathy or mercy. The whole world was nothing more than a playground and people were nothing more than toys._

_There was still a great deal of sadness within the boy though. He felt worthless and alone because he was hated by those who should have loved him. He did not want to be hated but knew he always would be. That sadness was something he only allowed Duke to see. Around even the other Crusaders he only revealed the side of himself that smiled and played – His anger showed through when they were around at times, but never his sadness. It was only when he was alone with Duke that he showed the sad child within himself. He managed to direct his sadness into the games he played with the lives of others, it was his outlet for his feelings. Happy Child eased his own suffering by inflicting it onto others. He was simply marvelous!_

_"Takenori," Duke stood, "I need you to batter him up a bit more . . . Nothing too serious yet, it just need to be visible that he was beaten. After that I want you to bring him to my room."_

_The boy cracked his knuckles, "Right." He moved swiftly for the alien, fist already drawing back for the strike. _

* * *

__

Blue Bayou carried the alien as he followed Duke. He dropped the unconscious boy onto the bed and promptly left without a word. The chains rattled and slipped off the bed onto the floor, tugging at the limp limbs they were fastened to. The leader stared down at the still form on his bed. The boy's green hair glistened in the light of the candle. The bruise on his cheek was starting to become clear, the blues and purples were showing up well against the lily white pigment of his skin. There was a bit of drying blood at the side of his lip from one of the blows and a little matting into his hair where he fell against a table. One side of his face had multiple streaks of red from what Happy Child hit him with. When he awakened his body would ache from the beating. Though he let them have their fun Duke had tried to be sure they did not break any bones. It had been a mild beating and the injuries would not last long on such a creature. They would likely need to beat him many more times later, of course. He did look a bit the worse for wear already, pitiful.

_Things were not as simple as beatings though. Duke knew he could not keep the alien drugged forever. Eventually Kisshu would come alive once again which meant he needed to act quickly. With this boy's ability to port away on top of his ability to fly, it would be hard to confine him. He was still for now but it would not remain that way. With such a powerful creature he would have to use a bit more than drugs to subdue him. _

_Blue eyes shined and then dimmed as he began delving into the alien's mind. He moved through the mist and haze created by the drugs. It took a few minutes but he finally found the boy – He sat on his knees, pointed nails digging into the ground as he rocked back and forth. The drugs created a dark and desolate place in his mind. Each mind created different spaces unique to the person. The landscapes of a mind were as diverse as the individuals, but it always turned the same once any drugs entered in – The mind always became dark and desolate, at least as long as the drug lasted. Kisshu did not look any better in here than he did in the waking world, even the glaze in his eyes was the same. It occurred to him how simple it would be to shatter this mind right now, and he would have if he was not still of use. Duke closed the distance between them and knelt on the ground in front of him._

_"Tell me, can you hear me, alien?" There did not seem to be a response, "Kisshu, can you hear me?"_

_Kisshu's head rolled upward and he murmured groggily, "I hear you."_

_"Good, at least you are not totally lost to reality. At least you have a little more use of hearing and speech here."_

_"You . . ." The alien made a weak lunge for Duke but only managed to fall against him._

_Duke chuckled, "That won't do you any good. You can fight all you like but it won't get you anywhere." He reached up and stroked the silky texture of the green hair in an attempt to calm the alien as he worked, "You should relax and listen to what I have to say."_

_A shaky hand grasped at Duke's throat, "Even like this, I will fight you."_

_He laughed and slapped the hand away, then landed a second harder strike to his face, "You could not touch me even if you were at your full strength, foolish child. You still do not seem to understand the difference between us."_

_"Do what you want but I'll still beat you!" He growled, eyes still murky._

_"Don't you even want to hear my offer, boy?"_

_The alien's speech was still slurred, "Nothing you say is of interest to me!"_

_"Not even if I was going to offer you a bit of time with Ichigo?"_

_A bit of clarity returned to the golden eyes, "Ichigo?"_

_"Yes, if you agree to behave, I will allow you to spend a little time with Ichigo. It may be the last time you can see each other, so I will be kind to you two, provided you are nice."_

_"Where is she?" Kisshu's eyes were wide._

_"She is here, with me. I brought you both to my house. If you promise to behave, I will bring her to you as a gift."_

_He crumpled against Duke's shoulder nearly in tears, "I want to see Ichigo! I want to see her! Let me see her, please?"_

_Duke smiled, "Of course." He pulled the boy away and stood, "You must wait here. I will bring her to see you."_

_He walked away, leaving the alien crumpled on the ground. It was a little surprising that kid had as much fight left in him as he did, it seemed anger went a long way, not that it mattered anymore. In the state he was now he was incredibly easy to manipulate. Had he been more alert he might have noticed what had been done to him, but he had not. Duke had just pulled the boy deep into the reassesses of his mind, a place only he had the ability to come and go from safely. The line of reality was now blurred to the alien. At this point he had no way of understanding that he was not in the real world but had been pulled deep within his consciousness. In the place he had pulled that mind time, space, reality, none of it existed. _

_ Having the skills he possessed gave him an advantage over even the most brilliant minds. There was not a soul alive that could withstand his power over their minds. He could not easily destroy free will, but he could do it with normal humans. However, on beings like the alien or the Mew Mews, he could not simply override their freewill. No, it took more cunning than that for extraordinary beings to fall to him. Of course, that was where the fun began. He rarely used that method he just used on the alien, but it was necessary. Now he could keep him trapped inside his own mind indefinitely but he would not realize it. There was no way that boy could have known what he had been up to while he was stringing webs inside his mind. Actually, he could not hold him there indefinitely, but he could keep him there for some time before the alien was able to awaken. That bought time; it would be more than enough time to accomplish his plans for both he and the girl. _

* * *

_Every sound made her jump, afraid Royal Highness was coming back, or Duke. No matter how she worked she had been unsuccessful in getting the chain loose. She could not find a bolt holding them to the wall even though she knew there had to be one. All she managed to do was get a bit of the slack back that Royal Highness had taken. If only she could find a way out of the chains she was sure she could escape. The chains were the real problem. Ichigo hissed, eyes furious, tail lashing. There did have to be a way out of this! If she managed to get free she could go and tell the others about this guy._

_It did worry her that his plans seemed to include her, though she had no idea why. For that matter, she had no idea what he had done to her in his lab – That had to be part of it. Since she seemed to be stuck here she might as well use the time to try to get one of them to tell her about this plan of theirs. If she was trapped here long, and she hopped she was not, she would find out something. It was hard to hear anything in this room though. Maybe if she could get them to move her she would be able to hear more._

_She hissed again. This was all so confusing! She wished she understood more about what was happening. Though her fear was strong it was slowly beginning to turn into anger. These people were all crazy and there was no way she would let them get away with anything. Weak or not, prisoner or not, she was still a Mew Mew – That was something they could not take away from her._

_The door swung open and her heart stopped. Seeing Duke coming in made her head spin. She would rather have seen Royal Highness if it was a choice between the two. The cold blue eyes cut into her as he moved beside her and sat on the bed next to her. The usual smile was slathered across his face. She hated that smile, it always meant bad news for her._

_"I see that you are awake and alert!" Duke purred._

_"No thanks to you! What did you do to me anyway?"_

_"I will explain that later."_

_"No, I want to know! I also want to know what you are so determined to have me do for you. You never told me anything at all about anything."_

_"You really want to know what you have to do for me?" He eyed her maliciously._

_"Yes, I do!"_

_"Very well!" He leaned in and lowered his voice, "You will have to kill someone for me. That is your first job."_

_A bit of the color in her face drained away, "Like I would ever do that! I'm not a killer! Send one of your people! I won't do it!"_

_"Not even in trade for the life of someone you loved?" He leaned back, "It is an age old psychological question . . . 'The one for the many' has always been a question people wrestle over. Kill one to save many . . . a hard choice, hmm?"_

_Ichigo stared at him, unable to stop the thoughts of what he might be indicating – Was he really planning to barter with her? One life for another? Worse still, she wondered, if it did come to that what she would decide. Could she really stay strong if he had a knife to one of her parent's throats? Could she risk the lives of anyone she loved? Could she really let someone she loved die, or would she break and follow his orders. She wanted to think she would find a way to save both . . . but could she? She hated the kinds of thoughts he brought out of her. When he was around everything seemed darker and bleaker. _

_Duke reached out a hand and tenderly caressed her cheek, "Do you still believe in your friends?" He smiled gently, "Perhaps you are holding out hope that Kisshu will rescue you?"_

_Ichigo narrowed her eyes, annoyed by the fake kindness, "Like I told you, you have underestimated my friends and Kisshu! They are all more powerful than you think! They are better than I am, so don't think you will have it easy!"_

_"Really? How strong are they?" Duke crooned._

_"If you think I'm dumb enough to tell you about their powers you're crazy, but just know they are strong!"_

_"Are the aliens strong? I at least know you and your friends had a difficult time with them. You could at least tell me if they are stronger than you, right?"  
"How would I know?" She pondered what she should say, "I suppose they could be. They are very skilled and very powerful! If there had been more of them, who knows, we might have lost." She hoped that built Kisshu up enough that it might dissuade him from going after him._

_"Mmm . . . I am pleased to hear that!" He beamed, "I was truly hoping for such a wonderful appraisal of them by their enemy."_

_"What do you mean?" Ichigo eyed him as he stood and walked to the door._

_She watched in confusion as he opened the door wide. Blue Bayou and Happy Child moved into the room, chains dragged the ground behind them. Her heart stopped as Duke stepped out of the way so she could see what Blue Bayou held in his arms. She could not believe her eyes, it had to be a trick of the light, an illusion. Her body froze stiff like a corpse. Kisshu, was it really him? It could not be him! The limp, bloody, and bruised body in Blue Bayou's arms could not possibly be him. His eyes were closed but she saw that one was bruised and a bit swollen. He looked so weak and helpless; his arms dangling limp, and head hanging. Was he alive? It looked like he was breathing. Her heart all but stopped as she stared at him. No part of her mind could wrap around this. That could never have been Kisshu – They could never have caught him let alone beat him that way! They could not have gotten him, he would have been able to port away even if they had over powered him in numbers. _

_She gulped. That's right, he only had one sword because Duke still had one. Maybe Duke had really taken both of them leaving him without a weapon to fight with. Still, that hardly accounted for him not being able to escape. This was a trick . . . it must have been._

_"It is really him! Look closely." Duke simpered. _

_Blue Bayou moved closer to her and held him out. Her heart twisted in her chest as she looked into his face and heard the shallow, quiet breaths. This was real, it really was him. She knew every curve of his face by heart. She knew the sound of his breathing. She knew the scar that peaked out from under the collar of his shirt. There was no question, it was him!_

_"You bastards!" She shrieked and struggled madly against the chains, "What have you done?"_

_"Don't you remember?" Duke feigned sympathy, "I told you, if you refused to listen, I would be forced to go after those you love. I even warned you that he would be first! I told you that the only way to keep him safe was by being good."_

_Hot tears streaked down her face, "Leave him alone!"_

_"I can't do that. I told you, my cooperation must be purchased." He shrugged, "I won't harm him if you obey . . . but if not . . . I can't say he will have a bright future."_

_She lunged at him in vain, "Don't touch him! Don't you dare touch him, you monster!"_

_Duke's face darkened. Her jaw burned as the back of his hand connected hard enough to knock her back. The ferocity in his eyes sent an instant wave of terror over her. Her body stiffened as she felt the chill of metal against her throat. Kisshu's sword was in Duke's hand and she could feel the sharp edge cutting in as he pressed. A warm fluid trickled down her throat. She dared not breathe or move. Nothing could have frightened her as much as those cold, terrorizing, dreadful blue eyes this close to her. She could feel his darkness as he stared into her eyes. Just maybe, she was going to die before Kisshu._

_"I think we have already had talks about that attitude of yours!" He his voice was nearly a growl._

_The sword moved away but his fingers took its place, winding around her neck. His grip tightened until she could not breath. His strong grip hurt – It felt like he was crushing her trachea. Ichigo gripped his hand trying to pull it away at least enough to breathe._

_"Do I need to teach you more about your position here, Ichigo?"_

_The world was starting to darken._

_"Let's not forget to check that attitude next time, little girl." His hand released her throat and she choked as she inhaled a breath. "See you later, Ichigo. I will be back in a while."_

* * *

__

Duke tapped gently on the wooden door and waited. Royal Highness slowly eased it open but did not look up to see the face of his visitor. He moved past the teen and strolled into the room. This room was decorated in much the same way as his own. Akizuki had several more lights in the room though. There was a desk lamp, one by the chair, and one by the bed, all on. His shoes crushed into the large floor rug as he walked to the chair. Akizuki flowed behind him and dropped onto the edge of his bed. Duke leaned back and linked his fingers under his chin and waited for those gray eyes to finally look at him. After some time of silence the boy finally looked up.

_"There is a job I need you to do for me." Duke said evenly._

_"What job?" Yuzen's composure had finally returned in full, back to the usual mannerisms._

_"I have to be in the alien's head and in the girls head at the same time. Kisshu is already so far under the influence of the drug I gave him that he is not a problem, but the girl still will be."_

_"You have never gone into two minds at the same time? Why do you need to be in both at once?"_

_"It is to accomplish one last goal. I have to link their minds for a short time. I will be the link between minds."  
Royal Highness frowned, "What on earth are you linking them for?"_

_"I am going to let them see each other one last time, but it must be done in the confines of their minds."_

_"Why? If you are going to let them see each other, why not just wake the alien and put them together."_

_"I have a reason, don't worry. I am not merely doing it for the fun of it." Duke grinned._

_"Have you ever done this before?" The boy was not convinced._

_"Yes, I have. It is a pain and very tiring, but simple enough to do. I just dislike that it tires me, so I don't often do it."_

_"Well," He frowned again, "alright, if it is what you want. What do you need me to do?"_

_"I will need you to put her under very deeply. I can only accomplish this feat if you ensure she is as deeply under hypnosis as possible."_

_Royal Highness nodded, "Of course, that is not a problem."_

_Duke smiled and stood. The freewill, the nature of a person was hard to get around in the cases of highly skilled people. Eradicating freewill was only ever temporary anyway, even in normal humans. The mind had a propensity for unpredictability. However, when he was inside a mind he could twist and manipulate them until they felt as he wished them to. He could create things in their minds that they truly believed was real. Though it was difficult, he could even create false memories – Though he preferred to manipulate people rather than simply dropping in a memory he spun. While he was in a mind he could all but completely remove the unpredictable nature of the mind and lead it where he wished. He could twist the doubts, fears, desires, needs, or anything else until the mind was his. It was marvelous! _

_Still, it was always the thrill of the hunt that got to him, even over the fun of twisting a mind. He did not intend to plant memories, or even shatter their minds though. There was something more fun he intended to do. He would keep them busy while he did a bit of searching through their minds though. Just letting them interact would keep them busy enough. There were a few more pieces of information he wanted to look at. That was on top of the little game he planned to play with them, of course. His trip into their minds would be a very busy one indeed. He would start it in the morning after he had taken the time to rest properly._

**AN: I gave the Crusaders a few new tricks as well as NAMES.** **A few of them had names, but Blue Bayou and Sweet Juliet never even got a name in the manga. I gave them names because it was annoying and hard to write characters that have no real names. I basically just made them what I wanted to see them be in the manga, but I never got what I wanted in the manga... thus here is a fic.**

**So you can keep track if you're not familiar with the names:**

**Duke - No duh, right**  
**Yura Yamashita- Sweet Juliet**  
**Takenori Tatara- Blue Bayou**  
**Akizuki Yuzen- Royal Highness**  
**Utamaro- Happy Child**


	17. Nothing is as it Seems

**Nothing is as it Seems**

_Ichigo felt a touch on her arm and she opened her eyes. Two strange gray eyes met hers so close to her face it frightened her. She instantly tried to resist but . . . somehow she could not seem . . . to move as she stared into those eyes. Her body felt weak and feathery, a little like she had no control over it. She could not see anything clearly besides those eyes, even the face was blurry but she had a hunch about who it had to be. He was speaking but she could not make out the words and the voice was even hazy. What was happening? She could not hang onto any thoughts, everything just melted away and out of reach. She tried to resist it but could not seem to; it was like fighting a loosing battle, outnumbered one-hundred to one. Slowly her eyes drifted closed again._

_When she finally blinked her eyes open again she was in a dim, cream color room. Looking around she discovered no windows and only one door. Where had they put her this time? The chains were gone though, so it might be her one chance to run. This could be a trap but she would have to chance it. No light shined under the door so it might still have been night. Tentatively she reached a shaky hand out and gripped the knob. She twisted it slowly but found no resistance of a lock._

_When she pulled it open all that greeted her eyes was darkness. It made her uneasy wondering what might be out there, but what could she do . . . the only choice she had was to move forward. One foot ventured out and touched solid ground so she stepped outside. She jumped when the door slammed shut behind her. She worked to accustom her eyes to the darkness but it was as if there was an absence of any light at all in this place. Her cat ears twitched back and forth in search of any sounds. She swung her arms out in front of her every step she took. Each step was torturous when she had no idea what she was going to find. Her heart was pounding the longer she walked and part of her wanted to go back. Horror gripped her as she took a step but found no more ground._

_Unbalanced, her body pitched forward and fell. She shrieked as she plummeted to an unknown floor. At last she hit, body plastered to the ground like a pancake. After a long groan she rolled into a sitting position._

_"It's a lie . . . cat's don't always land on their feet!" She murmured, "At least not if they can't even see the floor."_

_She looked around – Now that she was here it seemed like there was a bit more light. It looked like grass covering the ground. As her eyes adjusted she began to make out a sky and even trees. Where was she? She frowned. For that matter, where had she been before she fell – She remembered a door shutting but she could not really remember anything else. Why couldn't she remember? At one point she had been chained somewhere by someone, but who? She was in a park now though._

_Ichigo lifted her pink eyes – The first thing her eyes fell on was green hair and amber eyes. Her hands flew to cover her heart. He was alright! Her heart sped up and an ecstatic smile swallowed her face. Here he was! It seemed like years since she had seen him. She missed those beautiful eyes, that mischievous smile, that handsome face, just everything. She bolted toward him and he sailed to meet her. They collided in a tangled, eager embrace. His touch, his arms around her, felt more wonderful than she could have imagined. _

_Her ears flattened. Why did she miss him? Where had he been? Why did she feel so happy to see him? Why was one of her first thoughts that she was glad he was alright? Why wouldn't he be alright? She gripped him more tightly when an image of a bloody and bruised body flashed in her mind? Had Kisshu really been hurt like that or was it in her imagination? Ichigo nuzzled against him. He seemed fine now, there was nothing wrong with him. There was no blood and no bruising anywhere. His light, smooth, beautiful skin was without blemish. His gorgeous golden eyes were as bright as they always were. He was just the way he had been. She was so glad that was nothing more than her imagination._

_Their lips met in an eager, gleeful kiss. He floated up, arms coiled around her waist. They tangled around each other, so happy to be together after some sort of separation. She linked her legs around his waist, her tail swishing absently. His splayed fingers cupped the back of her head to deepen the kiss. This was like the day they visited the valley – He would not be dropping her this time though. Why did that day seem like such a faraway time? Their lips smacked as they finally broke the kiss and held each other close. Her fingers wound through his lush, silken hair. All she knew was that she missed him so._

_"Oh, Ichigo . . ." He whispered into her ear almost breathlessly._

_She nuzzled into his neck._

_"I missed you, Koneko-chan!" His feet hit the ground, arms slackening around her._

_She dropped her feet to the ground. Slowly he floated onto the grass, eyes focusing somewhere near her boots. For some reason he looked so drained, a little like he might faint. Frowning she sank to her knees in front of him and stared into his face. Since the normal color of his face was so pale, it was hard to tell if he lost his color. Could he be coming down with some sort of cold? Her fingers wrapped around his hand and his skin was cool. There was no fever but maybe aliens got cold rather than getting a fever if they were ill. _

_"What's wrong, Kisshu?"_

_He smiled, "Nothing, I just feel tired is all."_

_She watched as he reclined back onto the ground._

_Kisshu patted the grass next to him, "Come here, please, Ichigo?"_

_She lay down next to him on her back. Kisshu rolled onto his side and coiled around her. A satisfied sigh rattled his throat as he nuzzled his head against her neck. His soft, smooth lips sent delicious goose bumps down her arm as they grazed her neck. A tender hand reached up to caress her face and hair._

_"Let's stay like this." He nuzzled against her, eyes closed._

_Ichigo nodded and began running her fingers through his hair, stroking his head gently. He did seem overly tired. It was hard to tell but it seemed that he was already drifting off. This was fine, she did not mind if he fell asleep this way. If he was tired she would hold him and let him rest. It was the least she could do for him. He was so wonderful, always good to her. When she cried he dried her tears. When she smiled he smiled with her. When she needed someone the most, he was there to wrap her in his arms. Once she thought of him more as a devil that loved to torment her but now she saw him for what he really was – Kisshu was, and always had been, her angel. _

_"I love you," He whispered._

_Her breath caught in her throat when she heard those words. There was a chance he was talking in his sleep but she really was not at all sure. Before she had a chance to wonder further he rolled his head upward to look at her face. His amber eyes held her captive, swallowing her deep into themselves. She could not help wondering what could be going through his mind as he gazed intently into her face. At times like these she wished she could hear his thoughts. After a minute of staring he revolved around until he was in a sitting position. Quickly, she sat up as well. It was almost like he only just remembered something and had awakened._

_"You know I love you." It was not a question but a statement._

_She needed to say something, had to respond. Her throat was suddenly dry, tongue like cardboard, lips frozen. She needed to say something, say it back, give a reaction, so why couldn't she . . . What was wrong with her? Something like that deserved an answer; he deserved an answer – Why couldn't she give one? He rescued her by hooking his fingers behind her neck and pulling her into a deep kiss. She melted against him, delighted by the kiss, but even more for being saved. His perfectly smooth lips rubbed against hers, osculating passionately. It almost felt like he was trying to make up for lost time, or as if he expected this to be the last kiss they could share. She felt the cool touch of his hand as he laid it against the side of her face. Her arms encircled his upper body. The touch of his smooth hand against her face felt nice. _

_This touch and this kiss stirred something within her that she did not understand. He always knew . . . always knew what to do, what she needed. He knew how to hold her steady or put her off balance. More than that, always, he came to her rescue. He astounded her on so many levels. Never could she have found anyone more special and precious than this if she looked forever. From the first day he returned he had been chasing away her darkness. He taught her how to smile again and let her find a bit of happiness. Maybe it really could be this easy, just like those butterflies. _

_"You're so beautiful, Ichigo! You'll always be my Koneko-chan." He murmured as he kissed her again, "I'll say it even if you get angry with me for it."_

_"Kisshu . . ."_

_"I love you." His fingers etched into her hair, "I loved you from the first minute I saw you, even before you had seen me. I watched you at a distance even before I stole a kiss from you that first time. I could not stand staying away from you any longer, so I introduced myself." He grinned, "I think you were right when you said I never could kill you because I did not really want to. You were the only one I wanted to keep alive . . . deep down I guess I knew you were the only girl I could ever care about."_

_Ichigo stared at him in stunned silence, heart racing._

_"Even when I said I was leaving without you, the time when I tried to force you to run away from earth with me, I already knew I could not leave you alone. Saying I was going without you was just empty words. By that time I already knew that I would do anything for you. All I truly wanted was to find a way to keep you safe. I loved you so much it made me crazy, and it still does. I would and still will do anything for you."_

_She could not speak. Even without trying it she could tell her voice was somehow gone. He had never spoken quite like this before. His words thrilled her heart but they terrified her at the same time. She did not know what to do or what to say. She did not know how to react. If he had given her a bit more warning before he started this she might have been able to think more clearly. These sweet, honest, gentle words were flowing so easily for him but she could not think of one word to say. He was so much better at this than she was. It seemed like it came so easily to him but she could not even think of one romantic line. Ichigo leaned forward impulsively and pressed her lips over his. It could serve as her answer and it would keep him quiet as well._

_He took the kiss eagerly, not at all disappointed by this answer. His arms surrounded her and held her close against him. She would have hugged him in return but her arms were pinned against his chest. His smooth tongue slipped gently into her mouth and caressed her tongue. He ran a hand over her bare shoulder and down her partly exposed back. Chills raced up her spine at the brush of his fingertips. His other hand moved to her neck. The touch of his lips was like silk, the touch of his hands like melting chocolate. It made her feel dizzy and happy. _

_A long, strong set of arms circled her from behind and jerked her off the ground. Ichigo struggled to free herself, heart rate spiking. She screamed in alarm and Kisshu jumped to his feet – The minute his golden eyes met the face of the man the expression of alarm turned unseeing. Kisshu stood as still as a doll in a window – She could not help but notice that his eyes had glazed over. What was wrong with him? He did not even seem to be able to see or hear her anymore. The world around him began to darken. _

_Her breath caught in her throat as she suddenly remembered the past few days. She really had forgotten so much, but why? What had happened to make her forget so easily? She beat her fists against his arms and kicked at him. Duke held her tightly as she struggled all the harder to get away and go to Kisshu. What was happening? _

_"Not happy to see me?" He sneered, "Don't I get a kiss too?"_

_A deep growl rumbled out of her throat, "Let go!"_

_"That was such a touching scene to watch!" He crooned, "To think you won't even admit how much you love him. You're afraid to even say that word around or to him. That's your problem, the reason you could not say it back."_

_"Shut up!" She hissed._

_"He loves you, you know. He begged me to let him see you, wanted to know if you were alright. It is touching how the mere mention of your name tames him."_

_"Why don't you just leave him alone? You already have me so forget about him!"_

_"It is a little late for that, Ichigo."_

_"What do you mean? Why is it too late?" Part of her was terrified to ask but she had to anyway. _

_Duke smiled but his eyes had turned wicked, "Do you want to see how that boy really is now, Ichigo? Shall I show you the truth?"_

_"What do you mean?" She followed the blue eyes and stared into the darkness. It took her only a minute to find what he was staring at. Hundreds of long, glistening strings hung like a web in the darkness. Kisshu was on his knees, head drooping, arms stretched out to the sides – The web hopelessly entangled him like medieval chains on a prisoner in a dungeon. He did not appear to be conscious. He looked the way he had when they brought him in to see her the first time. The sight of him like this made her head spin._

_Her voice cracked with the emotion welling inside her, "What have you done to him?"_

_"This is his mind and I trapped him within this place. The darkness he is shrouded in and the cords that bind him cannot be lifted by anyone. He cannot escape this place because it is his own mind, the depths of his mind where he cannot touch. In the state I have placed him he cannot see, hear, reason, or think clearly unless I allow it. His mind belongs to me to crush at will."_

_"No! No, please, don't hurt him!" She twisted in his arms and grasped his collar desperately, "Please, let him go!"_

_"Do you know he was threatening me a while ago?" He laughed, "Even in that state he tried to fight me, said he would fight me no matter what. Isn't he chivalrous? The gallant knight always trying to save his lady!"_

_"You don't have to do this, Duke! You could let him go. I won't try to run away!" _

_"I can release him, yes, but I have no reason to." He flexed his arms more tightly encompassing her, "I have crushed minds in this way before. Once the mind is crushed they are nothing more than an empty shell."_

_She shook her head emphatically, "Please! Release him!" Somehow she knew he was not lying._

_"Not without a reason."_

_She lowered her head in defeat, "You win, alright? I will do what you say, just let him go! I will obey you. Please, let him out of here!" She lifted her eyes to his only long enough to plead with him._

_He grinned, "That is what I wanted to hear." He nodded, "I will let him out and I won't crush his mind. But he will not be out of danger unless you follow my orders to the letter."_

_"I understand, I understand, just don't hurt him!" She was fighting back the tears as she spoke._

_How had she just agreed to that? However, how could she let him crush Kisshu's mind? What was she supposed to do? She had no choice. At least this would buy her a bit of time to think about her options. Right now she could not think of anything to do besides follow his orders. Yesterday he told her she would have to kill someone, but if she refused him now, Kisshu would die. It was all she could do to hold back the tears as Duke took her away. If it had been only herself that he was threatening she would have been able to stay strong, but not when it was a threat to his life. It really was too much. She took a long last look at Kisshu before the two of them vanished._

_His large hand grasped her throat and tightened, "If you disobey me, don't think you won't suffer as well! I assure you, I will make you wish you had never been born!"_

_She pushed against his chest, trying to twist away. He released her neck but his fist crashed into her cheek. She fell back and hit the ground hard, body complaining instantly. His fists and boots crashed against her again and again. She curled up defensively trying to minimize the damage. Her mind did not fully register the pain just now since terror was far too dominant but she would later. She did not dare try to fight back, she was far too frightened of him for that. Not only was she afraid of him but afraid what might happen to Kisshu if she started a real fight. He could not defend himself so she had to be sure Duke's attention stayed on her. She cried out as his foot crashed onto her tail and ground in under his heel. She was sure she felt it snap. Tears pooled in her eyes and spilled onto her face. His fingers locked into her hair and pulled her to him again. She whimpered and squirmed in his grasp, desperate to distance herself from him even a little._

_"Remember, Ichigo, never go against me. The suffering you have had until now will be nothing compared to what I will do to you if you defy me." His teeth grazed her neck and she shrieked as his tongue flicked her ear._

_"Stop! Please!" Her tiny arm continued to press against him, bruises already surfacing on the creamy skin._

_His response was to drag his tongue over her shoulder._

_"Don't, please!" She sucked in a startled breath and whined, eyes clamping shut._

_"Like I said, you're too young for my taste . . . but don't think I would not hurt you just because of that. I might just because I know how deeply you don't want to be touched by anyone but him. I might choose to torture you this way, or I might choose to torture you other ways. I could always feed you to my sharks if I decide to do that."_

_Ichigo trembled uncontrollably, whole body shaking violently. The sheer filth of his touch sickened her and sliced fear through her body. His words drilled into her with the same horror she might feel if she wear facing a den of snakes. His touch felt like slime on her skin and made her long to wash it away._

_"Never, ever defy me! Understand? Never forget that I can do anything to you I wish and I can do anything I want to the people you love. Nothing can stop me from getting my way!"_

_She held her breath as his mouth hovered over her lips, just enough away not to touch her._

_"Understand?" He repeated, his hot breath slithering over her face._

_"I understand!" Her voice quaked, tear threatening to fill her eyes. _

_He pulled back again, "Good, because I want us to be able to be friends. I'm an enemy you never want to have, but a great ally. I take care of my people. You and Kisshu could become part of my group and then I would take care of you both as well." His cold eyes made her shiver again, "Think about it, Ichigo."_

_Gently he drew her head against his shoulder and picked her up. She did not move even one muscle, terrified to upset him. The movement would only have made her body ache more anyway. She knew where Duke was going, he was headed back to that door she came out of. It must have been the entrance into this place. Her eyes fixed on Kisshu. She was glad he could not see or hear, glad he did not know any of what had just happened. She was glad she had been able to keep Duke away from him even if it meant she was hurt. Getting injured did not matter to her as long as he was safe. _

* * *

__

A closed sign was on the front door of the café but six people sat at a table inside where no one could see. The warm, pastel colors stood out against the green grass and tall trees. From the outside everything looked fine and normal. The atmosphere inside was of a darker nature than the cute atmosphere portrayed. The Mew Mews, Keiichiro, and Taruto shared a large round table. Had this scene taken place a year ago it would have seemed strange to have this group at one table, but things had changed. Even though the aliens had been the Mew Mew's enemies, the battle was over between them. In the end, Taruto had even fought on their side. Deep Blue had become the only enemy at the end, and now he was gone, so they could have peace.

_Mint heaved a sigh, "I don't understand it at all! When I called Ichigo's parents they said she was in her room!"_

_"However, when we went over to see her, Ichigo was not in her room. It did not look like she had been there for some time." Zakuro drummed the table with her nails, "But even when we told her parents she was not there they insisted she was, or that she might be taking a bath."_

_"It was a little like . . . like they were no longer in touch with reality." Lettuce's green eyes glistened with potential tears._

_"I haven't seen Kisshu in almost two days either." Taruto frowned as he linked his fingers, "He was supposed to wait for me, but when I came back he was gone. I can't pick up a signal from him even on the links we used to keep track of you guys before."_

_Pudding took ahold of Taruto's arm, "I don't get what's going on! Where are they, na no da?"_

_"Where is Shirogane?" Zakuro eyed Akasaka as if he should be the one to know._

_"Ryuu, I believe, already went out searching for her. I know he searched for her during the night but when he came back to the shop this morning he had not found her." Keiichiro shook his head slowly._

_Silence slinked over the group as they sat like stones. Nothing made sense. The longer it went on the more people seemed to be vanishing. Ichigo was first, then Kisshu. Of course, without Taruto they would not have known about the disappearance of either. After Aoyama's death Ichigo had barely been around anyway. After she ran away they intended to visit her, but they would not have discovered her missing until today, when they intended to see her. When she was at the café she had seemed a bit strange but they decided it was just because it was her first time back. They decided it was because of the memories lingering in the building until Taruto told them how sickly she looked when she ran away from them. As for Kisshu, Taruto had not informed them of his presence on earth until this afternoon. _

_"I think we should go look for them too . . ." Taruto was on his feet, eyes narrow with frustration._

_Zakuro nodded, "Indeed." She flicked her hair off her shoulder in a typical model style, "However, we need to be organized about it. We don't want anyone else to go missing considering all the circumstances feel . . . suspicious to me."_

_"Agreed!" Akasaka leaned forward, "With one Mew Mew missing, we can't take chances on any of you going missing. I checked on Mew Berry, and she is fine, still on vacation – But we have to be sure no one else goes missing."_

_"Do you think it is an attack?" Mint frowned, her perfect face twisted._

_"What else can it be? As Zakuro stated, the circumstances seem too suspicious not to have some underlying factors."_

_"If it is an attack on the Mew Mews, why is Kisshu gone? I know he was going to stay there to wait for my news. Even if he was going to leave and keep looking, he would have come back to see what I knew." Taruto gritted his teeth a bit._

_"Maybe he found something . . . and got caught because of it." Lettuce offered reluctantly, timid nature showing even more now than ever.  
"That is why we all have to be careful." Zakuro's violet eyes were dark._

_Pudding shook her head from side to side, "I don't want anyone to be hurt! I want everyone back, and everything back the way it should be! What do we do, na no da?"_

_"We find out what is going on and stop it." Taruto slipped his hand into Pudding's, "Then everything will be fine, like it always is."_

_"Exactly!" Akasaka smiled, though a clearly superficial one._

* * *

__

Through hazed eyes Kisshu saw the masked man wrap his arms around Ichigo and the two of them vanished. What happened? Where did he take Ichigo? His heart jolted and he came alive. He dove forward but found nothing – There was no door, no hole, nothing. He ran his hands frantically over the ground, eyes wide. What was happening? Where had they gone? His eyes scanned the surroundings and he noted that they no longer looked like earth as it had while Ichigo was here. When he was alone before this place had seemed more like the way his home planet had been before they acquired the Mew Aqua. While she was with him he had partially forgotten about the masked man but not totally. The whole time that man's promise to let him see Ichigo had rung in his head alone with the words: "It may be the last time you can see each other." At the time he assumed that meant he was going to kill him, but what if the meaning was aimed at Ichigo? 

_"Ichigo! Ichigo, where are you?" He shouted to the dark sky, voice dripping with panic._

_Why had he been unable to stop her from being taken away? Why? Why? What was wrong with him that he could not get it together in time to catch her? Where had she been taken? His fists pounded the ground, tears of frustration threatening him. Why could he never manage to save her from that guy? That guy kept saying there was a gap between their strengths. Maybe it really was true. Maybe there really was as large a gap between them as he said. If there was, how would he save her? What if he could not save her? It happened before with Deep Blue, he failed to protect her because he was not strong enough. What if she paid because he was too weak . . . again? What if . . . no, he could not think that way. Ichigo would be fine. When that man came back here he would attack him with all his strength. This time he would get him!_

_"Really?" A chuckle rang through the dim space, "You really are eager to battle all the time."_

_Kisshu whirled toward the sound but saw no one. He perked his ears to listen for even the slightest sound, senses oh high alert._

_"No gratitude for my generosity in letting you spend time with her in peace?"_

_"Thank you." He growled at the air, working to pinpoint the voice._

_"You're welcome." Another laugh._

_"Where is she? What did you do with her?" The alien demanded. _

_"I just took her back to her room, nothing to worry about, yet."_

_"What do you mean 'yet'? What are you planning?" His eyes search intently, ears still poised to pinpoint a direction._

_"If all goes according to plan, someone will die today." The voice stated calmly._

_"What are you talking about? I demand you explain all of this!"_

_"I don't answer to demands!"_

_Kisshu's side burned as something struck him._

_"You need to learn that I am the one in control, not you. If you learn that we will get along better."_

_Kisshu snarled, "Who would want to get along with you?"_

_"Your little cat girl, for one."_

_He glared at the air, "What is that supposed to mean?"_

_"You should have heard how shamelessly she was making up to me when she was asking me not to kill you! She was quite friendly once I threatened you." The mask came into view, "Did you know she actually tastes rather sweet?"_

_Kisshu lunged for him in a blind rage, claws and teeth bared, but he vanished. Fury, anger, wrath, rage, no human word came close to expressing the feelings bursting inside him. _

_"That girl's lips really are – "_

_"Dare touch Ichigo and there will not be enough left of you to sweep into a pile!" Kisshu howled as he dove madly at anything and everything as he searched for the man he wanted to kill._

_"Really?" A frosty voice whispered into his ear._

_Hands were suddenly on Kisshu's neck and he found himself instantly immobilized. _

_"You need to be good a little longer, so I will ask you to sleep now."_

_His head ached suddenly. The masked face rocked and swirled violently in his vision. What was this? He could not breathe anymore, not even one breath. His body dropped like a rock tossed into the ocean, dark waves crashing over his head as he sank beneath an unknown force. He could no longer see, hear, or feel anything at all. Any wish to kill the man was lost._

* * *

__

Zakuro held up her Mew pendant and leveled them all with a warning stare. Akasaka stood next to her with his usual charming manner in tack, but had a serious, rather grave look in his eyes. Since they were the oldest in the group, Zakuro and Keiichiro had taken over. Zakuro seemed tense and a bit unlike herself – The typical calm aura had been tainted with worry. Even Keiichiro had frowned frequently today, and his charming nature was a bit darker in nature, if that was even possible. Lettuce was especially worried about the two of them though she did not say so.

_"Be sure to keep these in hand at all times so we can remain in contact. I do not want any one of you to get lost." Keiichiro nodded at the pendants, "Since Taruto does not have one he will stay with Pudding." _

_Mint swung the back door open, "We understand, you two, now let's get moving."_

_"I realize that you are eager to look for Ichigo, but we are only taking precautions, Mint." Keiichiro eyed her. _

_Lettuce started to move but paused, "Have you heard back from Shirogane yet?"_

_Akasaka shook his head, "No, not yet. I will inform you all when he returns the message."_

_Lettuce nodded and moved for the door with Mint. Her green eyes scanned the group as she walked. Everyone was tense and worried. Everyone was reacting to their feelings in different ways. Zakuro and Keiichiro were still plotting out a map as the four of them slipped out the door. The two of them were acting a bit paranoid, but maybe it was understandable. They were the ones in charge now since even Shirogane had gone missing. With so many people already unaccounted for they had a reason to be hyper sensitive. They were trying very hard to sort of some kind of plot to the happenings. _

_All of them had faced danger before but they had at least known who to blame before. The answers were not so clear now. No one had voiced it but they were beginning to wonder if yet another new enemy had surfaced. The Crusaders had been inactive for a while now, and they would have no reason to go after one of the aliens, as far as they knew. It seemed like such a strange set of circumstances surrounding everything and nothing really made any sense. There did not seem to be a reason behind anything._

_Pudding halted, "Wait!" Her eyes were wide, "Since they made me hold it out and keep it in my hand while they were talking I set my pendant on the counter, na no da!"_

_Taruto cringed, "Really, Pudding?"_

_Mint glowered at her, "Then run back and get it, we will wait." This had put her in a worse mood than normal._

_Pudding nodded and raced away as they watched her. Pudding seemed to be the only one acting like herself at the moment. Akasaka's pep talk seemed to have eased the girls worries – If only it had done that for all of them. They all hoped they were wrong about all the worries running through their minds, but how could they be sure? Lettuce began to fidget in place as they watched the girl vanish through the door. The Café was still close enough, they had not even totally left the yard, so it was fortunate Pudding remembered now. Taruto drummed his fingers against his arm impatiently. He loved that scatterbrain Mew Mew but there were times . . ._

* * *

__

Sweet Juliet led Ichigo down the hallway without a word. She took careful notice of the building and tried to memorize the turns they were taking. Light from the noonday sun trickled in through an open window. Her heart jolted as she looked outside. There the Tokyo tower! She spotted a second landmark. Quickly, before Sweet Juliet caught her looking, her eyes dropped back to the floor. It was hard to keep the smile off her lips though considering she just gained a big advantage. At last she knew where she was. Now that she had seen it, she even knew what this place was. During the year she walked by this house and admired it for its beauty and design. Had she known then what she knew now she would have sent them a bomb. Still, she knew where she was!

_"Hey, Sweet Juliet?"_

_"You can call me Yura if you want."_

_"Yura-san, may I ask you why you guys brought me here?"_

_"Because Duke told us to." She answered shortly._

_"I know, but do you know why he wanted me here?"_

_She sighed, "Not really, and I'm not sure it matters."_

_"It matters to me. If I have to be a captive I'd at least like to know why."_

_Light hazel eyes drilled her, "Because he needs you to kill someone in order to start up some trouble."_

_"W-who am I supposed to kill?" Ichigo clenched her fists._

_"He will tell you soon enough." She looked away, "You have to do it today."_

_Ichigo's heart stopped. Today? Her head spun. Today? Yura noticed her wavering and grabbed her by the arm. Ichigo let her drag her down the hall to a large room. They had not brought her here before that she knew of. It almost looked like a castle ballroom. It would be impressive if not for the person who owned it. This place had been tainted by that man, she could feel it everywhere. His darkness lurked in every room. A movement in the corner caught her eye. _

_"Ichigo!" Duke grinned, "Shall we go over what you must do?"_

_She stared at him in silence, body stiff. Royal Highness stood next to Duke, gray eyes colder than usual. The look he gave her was unreadable but she had a feeling it was unfriendly. The wooden door creeked as Blue Bayou entered the room and moved in next to Yura._

_Duke smiled at her, "You agreed to do a job for me, remember? You agreed to serve me."_

_"I remember." Her eyes dropped to the floor._

_"Come now, Ichigo, don't look so depressed. You only have to kill someone. It's not like I'm sending you to an orphanage to burn it down." He laughed, "I will even give you a new weapon for this job. With your new bit of power you will be able to use it rather well." He took out two strange round metal blades fashioned with three long protruding flame style blades. "These are called wind and fire wheels. Even if you do not know how they are used, with your powers now, I think it will just come to you as it did with your Mew Mew weapons." _

_She had seen things like that before but had no idea how to use such a thing. She did not want to know how to use such a weapon; it looked barbaric. Even though she did not know who she was supposed to kill she could not even imagine what killing any living thing would be like, especially with those._

_"Once a bit more of your powers are awakened, I will give you another weapon as well."_

_Happy Child slid in next to Ichigo, "Shall we go?" He grinned, "We would not want to miss our chance!"_

_"Yes," Duke nodded, "the target needs to be eliminated today. No use wasting time."_

_"Alright!" Happy Child laughed, "Then let's get going!"_

_Her world began to spin and it was all she could do to stand – Or was she even standing? The strange feelings were similar to the times Kisshu had taken her into a port. She closed her eyes to avoid the spinning vision but could not stop the tremors in her stomach. If she knew anything, she knew she hated this. This was not at all her choice of travel. It was better when it was with Kisshu because at least she could hang onto him in here._

_"You can open your eyes now." Blue Bayou nudged her with his elbow and nearly made her topple over._

_It was a good thing she was in her cat form or she would not have maintained her balance. Ichigo looked around, eyes wide with surprise. Of all places, why had he brought her here? This already did not make even the slightest bit of sense to her. What could this guy possibly be up to? What was here? Who was here? Duke shoved the weapons into her hands and grinned down at her.  
"Do you see that over there?" He pointed._

_Her heart jolted and she suppressed a gasp._

_"He is the one you must kill for me."_

_Ichigo whirled, "What? You can't be serious! Why? Why would you want to kill him?"_

_His cold blue eyes pierced her, "Because I'm going to start a war."_

_Her hands went to her heart. What did this mean? He could not really be serious! There was no way he could possibly mean that she had to kill that person? A war? What was he talking about? How would her killing someone begin a war, especially him? Maybe she could understand if it were different circumstances but this made no sense. What sort of war did he want to begin? Her brown eyes stared into his in horror as all she could see behind those eyes was a raving lunatic. He was stark raving mad, he had to be! She was under the control of a mad man. What was she supposed to do now?_

**_AN: Romantic moment ruined. XD Well, that's what happens when Duke is around._**

_**Anyway, hope you all are enjoying it. I try hard to keep them all in character, I really do. I try to think how they would react in situations and write accordingly. The Crusaders are hard since I really had little to work with, but this is how I always saw them being. I hope none of you are disappointed by this story, hope it holds your interest!**_


	18. Kill Zone

**Kill Zone**

Ichigo's mind could not wrap around what she had just heard. Her pulse was pounding hard in her throat as she stared in stunned silence. They could not be serious! There had to be a mistake of some kind. Maybe she was not understanding them correctly. Her eyes fell on the weapons he had shoved into her hands. the blades shining in the light of the sun. The thought of using them made her stomach flip before but now that she knew who he wanted her to kill it made it her weak in the knees. Her body felt suddenly disconnected and weak as her mind took her places she did not want to go. Since Duke had Kisshu, she had no choice but to comply, but how could she do this? There was no way she could really do this!

Her voice faltered, but finally came forth, though shrill, "You can't be serious! Why? What reason is there in killing him?"

Duke smiled malevolently, "I need to begin a war. If he is killed a new war will begin because of outrage over the slaying. It will spark a new revolution."

"But that doesn't make sense! Why him? He is only a child!" Her eyes turned to the Café and traveled back to the little group, watching as Pudding ran back toward the large doors. Mint and Lettuce were still there with Taruto. Ichigo swallowed hard, her breath catching in her throat. Taruto... it just couldn't be him. What reason was there in killing him? How would that start a war?

"Exactly! It is because he is a child that a Mew Mew killing him needlessly will spark so much anger. The boy's people will be enraged that you sprung an attack on him after you declared peace with the aliens." He paused, shifting his weight a bit, "Considering Pai is now a high ranking commander in their fleet and Taruto's father is also very highly ranked, there is sure to be a swift response. This new war will begin and then a new era can be ushered in for both aliens and humans." His cold eyes drilled her. "I know that you likely cannot see it but this is a good thing for both our civilizations. After this war all unnecessary people will be eliminated. Only the best and strongest will survive, and in turn it will create a world of only superior beings on each side! Both our kind will be left with a society of only the most worthy beings and it will create two perfect worlds."

"That's right!" Happy Child grinned wide, eyes gleaming with a crazed and unquestioning faith in his leader, "Only the worthy will be left alive! We will be in a world full of perfect, strong people, like ourselves. We will never be looked down on by the stupid lesser minded people who envy our superiority. It benefits us and you."

"A utopia of only the worthy, think of that, child!" Duke smirked, clearly enjoying how his follower was spewing his words back to him, "I realize it is likely out of your reach to see our wisdom at the present but you will come around. Everything is in place for the war and the extermination of needless beings! I simply need the trigger, you."

Ichigo realized in horror that she was looking into the face of a madman, pure evil. "You're insane!"

"Silence!" Royal Highness' fist crashed into her jaw without warning, "Never speak to him in such a manner again! He is the savior of the world, you just don't see it yet." It almost seemed like he was trying to prove himself for some reason.

Ichigo clutched at her face with one hand, trying not to show that it hurt - Wanting to remain strong in this situation was difficult.

"Either you kill that boy or Kisshu dies a terrible death. It is up to you. However, understand that this is not a bad thing. There always must be sacrifices before there can be great triumph. It is regrettable to end a young life but I assure you it will be worth it. His sacrifice will be remembered forever as the thing that brought a new world into existence."

"Now hurry up and do it!" Happy Child gave her a shove and she fell to the ground.

With eyes half clouded with threatening tears, she turned her gaze away. She needed to focus or she would never get through this. Pudding was in the café now, which might be a fortunate thing. If Pudding was there she knew she would not be able to go through with such a deed. Gripping the two weapons she ran forward trying desperately not to think about what she was going to do. People in battle did it all the time, dissociation. As long as she did not think of who, or rather what she was doing, it should be fine. Kisshu's life was what she was fighting for, and that was all she had to think about.

Horrifyingly, Duke was right about the weapons. As she held them in her hands she did know what to do with them. It was the same as when she held the strawberry bell, she just knew how to use it, like they were made for her. She could not breathe, her heart beating itself to death on the walls of her ribs. The closer she got the harder her heart pounded and the closer she felt to a panic attack. She fought back the tears and struggled past the dread and dizziness. She could not think too much about this. All she could focus on was what would happen if she disobeyed. As she came closer Lettuce noticed her.

"Ichigo! Where have you been? We were so worried about you! We were just about to go looking for you." The sweet, gentle girl called out to her.

Her breath hitched in her throat, strangling her, her swift pace faltering. They looked so happy to see her. They had no idea why she was really here, seeing their long lost friend coming, not a killer. Her feet moved her unevenly as her eyes dropped to the ground. No, she could not look at them… she had to focus on nothing but the weapons. Focusing on the weapons only, nothing else, would be her only chance. The age old 'Don't think, just do it.' The weapons. Keeping Kisshu alive. She put a little energy into the weapons and they activated instantly. Three long blue spikes extended from each of the metal wheels. Lettuce shrank a few steps back as she watched with wide eyes fixed suddenly on the weapons.

Mint's voice was strained as she finally managed to speak as well, "Ichiog… what are you doing?"

Ichigo closed her eyes hard, little bit of water pooling on her lashes. With each breath she reminded herself not to think. There was nothing she could do but obey the order. This was the only thing she could do to save Kisshu, and she had to keep him safe. No matter how she thought about it there was nothing she could do to save everyone this time. Before, she always had Kisshu around to foil his own plans to kill her, but things were different now. It seemed a lifetime had gone by. A few days ago she would never have pictured herself here like this but you never knew what you were capable of until your back was to the wall - Something precious to you hanging in the balance. All she knew now was that she would do anything for Kisshu, even kill.

She lifted shaking hands, weapons poised, aiming for the little alien.

He stared at her in shock, big golden eyes confused as his focus drifted to the points of the blades, "Ichigo?"

Mint moved closer apprehensively, looking more afraid than Ichigo had seen her in a long while, "What are you doing, Ichigo?"

Her pink eyes fixed on Taruto, the boy she was supposed to kill. Clearly, his mind was working to comprehend the strange situation. Though they had been enemies, the Mew Mews were the last people he would expect to try to kill him. Taruto even turned against Deep Blue for them. He was far more a friend then an enemy. There was some amount of trust, a mutual trust that had been built over time. Pudding and Taruto had even become close, even loving. The thought that Ichigo would be trying to kill him seemed unable to sink into his mind, a wall of confusion blowing it.

She twitched with a shot of disgust, fingers tightening around the handles, her head spinning inside her skull. Pudding would never forgive her for this. Neither would Kisshu, for that matter. Kisshu would always hate her even though she was doing it to save him. Taruto was his friend and he would never, never forgive her. Her lungs took in a slow drag of air to try to steady herself. Really, he would never want her to do this. If it came to such a choice he would not want her to sacrifice his friend to save him. If she did this it would destroy him, knowing that it was because of him that she took such a path.

Her mind flashed to Pudding again, those big innocent eyes and child's features. A small whine of her inner conflict escaped her lips unintentionally. She remembered how it felt when Aoyama died. How much worse would it be for Pudding, him dying this way? If she came out and saw him dead, murdered in such a way, how much worse would it be for her? How could she put that little girl through something so horrible?

Even putting those things aside, how could she do this? If Duke was right about it being able to start a war there was no way she could do it. He needed a Mew Mew to kill him, anything else would not be as effective. He needed the Mew Mews that made peace with the aliens to be the ones to break it to create the maximum outrage. Such a breaking of the agreement of peace they had established would indeed be a declaration of war. The entire human race would be a target once again, and on a larger scale this time. With their world restored, they would be a stronger force to defend against. With only three aliens, earth had nearly been taken over, so she could not fathom what the arrival of more would be like. There was no way she could be a part of starting a war, not even to save Kisshu. He would not want her to do this either.

What was she doing? Slowly, and shakily she lowered the weapons. The blue energy spikes dimmed then vanished as she let the rings slip from her fingers, metal scraping the tips of her fingers as it fell. Her mind staggered over her actions, nearly clicking over them like a computer. Her eyes slowly fluttered closed, allowing the lightheaded feeling to engulf her, chest heaving with her breaths. How could she even have considered this for a moment? No matter what, she could not go along with this. Kisshu would not want her to do this anyway. Even if it meant the two of them had to die, she knew it was best. They would die together. Duke would kill him and then her, and she would gladly join him in death. This is the way Kisshu would want her to go. He would not want his friend to die or his recovering country to be ravaged by a new war. No matter what happened to the two of them she knew there was no other choice. They would be the sacrifices, it seemed... one or two for the many. Deep down she knew they would kill them eventually anyway, no matter how closely she followed their orders. Just because they said they would not kill them if she obeyed meant nothing. "I'm sorry, Kisshu." She whispered.

_ "Kill him!" She heard Duke's voice echo harshly inside her head and she felt an increase in pressure._

Her eyes jolted open then squeezed shut. "I can't. . . I won't!"

_ "Kill him!" Duke's voice boomed in her head so loud it hurt every nerve in her body._

A lone tear trickled from the corner of her eye as she nearly convulsed with the impact. "I can't kill him! No matter what you say, I can't do it! He's a friend too! I won't help you! No matter what you do to me, you can't force me to!"

_ Pain instantly seared through her brain, every nerve ending in her body pulsed with enough agony to making her cry out. "Obey my command!" The voiced shrieked._

"No! You can't force me to! You don't control me!" Ichigo screamed back with just as much volume.

Something sharp and strong pierced through her head, gripping her hard, and pulled. She could feel herself being ripped out of her body. She could still see the others with her eyes, but her mind began to go dark. She saw two things now; the place where her body was, but also the dark place her mind was being swallowed into. The pain in her head was increasing dramatically, so much that she felt instantly weakened, her will to fight dimming. Ichigo was in two places at once. In one place her friends were moving to catch her as her body collapsed - In the second Duke stood before her, menacing, black sword in one hand. Ichigo stiffened, pinned to some unseen wall. Without a word Duke thrust the weapon into her right shoulder. She heard herself scream but was not sure if it was confined in her mind or carried over in her body as well.

_ "You should listen to my orders. I told you I can get inside your head. I can create illusions so real you can feel them the same as if I had done it to your body. I can cause intense suffering to the mind, which controls you sense of pain! The mind and body are linked so some injuries can even carry over to the body." He swiftly drew it out and slid the blade across her shoulder._

Pain shot up and down her arm in bolts, causing her to jerk and thrash in an attempt to escape it. The voices of her friends were calling her name. Her senses were overloading on every level. Somehow she could hear them still and know what was happening out there as well as here. Her mind and body were nearly fully separate, yet oddly linked. The outside world was like watching something through a dirty mirror or seeing shadows cast over a wall. She vaguely made out the figures of Royal Highness and Happy Child coming up behind Mint.

Ichigo focused her energy, hoping her words got through to her body. "Watch out, they're-" She was cut off by her own shriek of pain as Duke sliced into her waist.

_ "You should worry less about them and more about what I am going to do to you." Duke whispered coldly leaning into her as he shoved the blade deeper.  
_

Taruto moved Ichigo's body out of the way as something crashed down where they had all been. Royal Highness must have thrown something with telekinesis, or who knew what else. She could hardly see with Duke's presence overloading all else. Her voice must have reached through. They must have been able to hear her. She was not sure how well it went through though or if they always heard her. She cried out as he began wildly slashing her legs and arms.

_ "I do not appreciate it when someone defies my wishes!" Duke growled, the sound echoing terrifyingly around her._

Ichigo was lost in the white hot pain as he drove the dagger into her again and again. Her wounds screamed and burned with deep radiating pain. It felt like her body was on fire. She was trembling as he continued to stab and slash at her body. Clenching her jaw closed, she tried not to let it show how her teeth were chattering and worked to stop the shaking. She really did not want to scream or cry anymore in case the others could hear, she did not want them to hear this. The tears she could not stop at all, they flowed harder each time the blade connected. Desperately, she tried to fight him off but her limbs would not obey. It hurt so terribly she could hardly contain her reactions.

_"You are a brave child, trying to show me a strong face." A blood stained finger traced slowly down her cheek before she felt the sharp sensation again._

"I'm a Mew Mew!" She tried to make her voice sound strong and threatening, but it was far more a set of strangled cries than anything, "You won't get me to surrender or do as you say!"

_"I know. I can't force you to do things as I can normal humans," Duke smirked, actually seemed to be enjoying himself, "I did miss judge you. You did ruin my plan, but not to worry, I still have a use for you."_

Ichigo shrieked as he drove the blade through her hand then swung around and thrust it through her midsection - Throught one side and out the other. Before pulling it out he gave it a vicious upward twist. Her body convulsed suddenly, beyond her control, never having known anything could hurt like this. Deep in her mind she heard crashing sounds from outside this nightmare. The others were fighting. She tried to see what was happening but it was so hard. The pain made it impossible to think clearly, let alone focus on anything. Still, she had to know, had to see! Her body was on the ground but everyone was near her. Taruto and Lettuce were in her line of sight. Pudding, Zakuro, and Akasaka had arrived as well. Keiichiro was scooping her body up into his arms and moving her away from the ensuing battle. She could feel the motion around her.

"What are you doing to Ichigo?" Lettuce screamed at the two hovering near.

"She should have obeyed Duke! Since she's not one of us, the chosen four, he will not show her mercy! Now she must suffer the consequence of her foolishness." That voice belonged to Royal Highness.

"This is fine as long as it is entertaining! Even if she did mess up the plan, Duke will still win." The younger let out a giggle.

Ichigo curled her fingers around the collar of Keiichiro's shirt, desperat for something to connect her to this world, "They are trying to start a war." She murmured.

_Duke thrust the blade into her chest with a primal growl, successfully drawing her back to him, "Silence!" He hissed._

No, no, she had to stay connected! Her shrieks and whines made Akaska cradle her closer to his chest. He spoke but she could not hear him over the sound of her flesh ripping and bones breaking from the frenzied attack of the black sword. Her mind was a mess of agony, fear, and confusion, body a trembling wreck. By now she must have lost a great deal of blood, then again, it was in her mind so it might not have been. She did wonder what affect this had on her mind. Would it break? After this she might be paralyzed or brain dead. She could hardly imagine she would survive, quite sure she was going to die soon.

Taruto dodged yet another attack and landed next to her. Her glazed pink eyes watched with a lack of normal function. Blue Bayou and Sweet Juliet had also joined the fight, if she was seeing correctly. Ichigo focused the very last of her energy, clawing and scratching to connect with her body. She had to try her best and fight through the pain. What happened to her did not matter, but she had to tell them what she knew. If it was the last thing she could do she had to warn them! They would be able to stop it. There were not a lot of details she had to give, but she could tell them a little.

Her hand caught Taruto by the wrist, speaking as fast as she could before she lost them, "Taruto, you and Kisshu have to get away! They want to kill you so they can making aliens and humans enemies again. They're going to-" She gasped, body arching and twisting in the arms around her.

Duke's knife dug deep into her throat, and up into her jaw, totally silencing her. A gagging whimper escaped her as he pushed it up through her mouth and into her brain. She could no longer speak at all. Inky darkness spreading over her in waves. She no longer had any strength to fight it. Ichigo was rigid as the pain in her head increased beyond what she could endure. She probably would have screamed but she no longer could. A terrible sleep swallowed her in a drowning sea as she slipped away. The last thing she heard was someone screaming her name.

* * *

Kisshu jolted upright in his bed, eyes wildly sweeping the room. Where was Ichigo? How had he gotten back to the ship? Why had they let him go? He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. What was going on? There had to be a reason he had been released. He knew too well that he had not been here the whole time. He knew he had been taken to a strange house where Ichigo had also been taken. He knew because he remembered being there, but more than that he had the marks to prove it.

He moved to the mirror and switched on the light next to it. His face showed the evidence of his stay at that house. The blood was dry now but it was there as a reminder. Moving was still a reminder too because he was still tender in some places. He touched his face gently and surveyed the damage.

He flicked the water on and began carefully cleaning away the blood from his face and body. He was sore and some joints were hard to move. His body protested against the punishment it received. The marks of the chains were still visible on his wrists. After a while of cleaning up he looked presentable enough. He leaned against the sink as he tried to clearly remember more about his time in that place. It was hard to remember. He remembered that man though and he remembered Ichigo. He remembered her being ripped from his grasp.

The outside door swished open and he heard several people entering fast. Had the man come back with his people? Were they coming back for a fight? Kisshu eyed the door and eased slowly toward it. He reached out to open the door but it glided open in his hand. A familiar alien boy rushed into the room and bolted for the bed.

"Taruto! What are you doing?"

The boy whirled to face Kisshu with a face as ashen as a mountain top, "We have trouble! It's Ichigo…"

Kisshu's heart jumped into his throat. What happened while he was out? He could not have been sleeping that long? What did Taruto know? Had he found out something? He moved toward the boy before he noticed the others standing in the doorway. It was the Mew Mews, all of them but Ichigo. It must have been serious if Taruto let them all in here.


	19. Her Fate

** Her Fate**

_Duke slowly tugged the door closed behind him with a long squealing protest from the hinges. The clunking of his shoes against the stone floor were joined by the echo of a second set as Royal Highness approached the older man. The typical masks were both in place over the faces of the two but the mask did nothing to hide the massive smirk on Duke's face as he wiped a last little bit of blood from his hands, the white cloth irreversibly tainted by the young girls blood. His ghostly cold eyes lifted to watch the boy approach him. He was keeping the mask in place for the events that were to come later but the youth before him had a different purpose for wearing his. The youth had taken to wearing the mask constantly again just to hide his expression from the leader. The previous incidents had inflicted a good deal of shame on the boy, which was delicious and perfect. The plan to break that annoying bit of morality left in him was going well enough._

_Yuzen's eyes were directed at him but not quite able to lift to meet his. "Did you kill her?" He asked flatly, seemingly disinterested. _

_The leader shook his head, long ponytail swaying down the center of his back. "No, not quite yet. I punished her a bit for now but she will get it far worse soon."_

_"What will the next step be, Duke? What are your orders?" Akizuki's eye lifted to see Duke's face only a moment before insecurity made them fall away again._

_Rather than answering the man simply shouldered past the boy with a slight motion of his hand to indicate the order to follow. Akizuki fell into step silently behind him like a puppy following its owner. As he walked, Duke eyed his hands and swiped the stained cloth over them a few more times. He disliked having blood on his hands, it looked unsightly. He had always been one that kept up his appearance, never letting it slide. His pride would never allow him to look any less than he deemed proper for someone of his standing. The soon to be master of the universe could hardly be expected to allow the unsightly stains to remain._

_His blue eyes flashed back to the dejected boy following him, glinting a bit. For all that stoic and cold manner, the boy was really no more than a child desperate for approval. Earning back the favor he had been stripped of was all he could focus on. In such a state he would be able to get anything from him, which was how he liked it. These children were the best for him. Each of them were throwaways and they knew it. If not with him, they had no place to hide from the cruel world, so they were his. It was not as if he could let them forget it, ever. The older man slowed his pace until he could move in beside the teenager. _

_"Akizuki, you seem so tense. Are you afraid of what is about to happen?" The verbal jab hit home, he could tell by the slight wince at the pointed indication of cowardice. "We have been planning for this for some time. Why are you worried so suddenly? Don't you believe in me anymore?"_

_That hit deep into the target, "No, no, Duke!" Yuzen's head snapped to look at him, eyes wide. "I would never doubt you! I trust you with my life, you know that! I owe you everything and I would follow you anywhere!" The prick of fear showed in his voice, "I'm not worried at all." _

_Duke slid his hand onto the soft flesh of the teen's neck, "Then what has been bothering you? You know you can tell me anything, don't you? No matter what, you know I am always here for you." With his fingers hooked on the back of the boy's neck, he pulled him to his chest._

_Yuzen did not resist the act of seeming comfort, used to the fatherly gestures from Duke, "I know..." He let his head rest securely against his leader's chest._

_"Now, let's go speak with the others." Duke squeezed his fingers lightly into the tender flesh before pulling back and resumed walking to the gathering room._

_Once again the teen meekly followed behind, falling into the rhythmical step of the older man. It took all his effort not to let his emotions show. He was glad of the mask covering part of his face, anything to hide the truth from Duke. His throat was constricted almost so harshly that he could not breathe at all. He could not shake the deep feeling boiling inside him; feelings of shame and fear. He did not want to disappoint Duke. If Duke did not think him trustworthy, what would he do? He wanted to be able to make him proud. He wanted to be just like his leader, his savior. His feet fell hard as he struggled to hold back the shuddering breath threatening to shake his frame. The worst feeling was knowing he was the weakest of all. If anything happened he knew he would be the weakest link in this group and he could not endure that thought. It made him ache deep inside his chest. Outcast to the world, why could he not at least do well among his own kind? Was there nothing he could do right? He could not fail here... if he did, where else was there to go? Duke did not like failures, he knew that, and it terrified him more than anything else in the world. He pitied the girl locked in that room but he had already done too much regarding her. Duke would kill her soon and her pain would be over. Things had been easier before she came and after she was gone they would be again._

* * *

Taruto was pacing the floor wildly as he explained everything to Kisshu. His wild motions with his limbs betrayed the obvious trembling in his hands. His amber eyes still implicating the impact the incident had on him. Each word moved so swiftly they almost tripped over the next to get out. The small alien had been shaken to the core. As much as he would hate to admit it, he cared about the Mews, looking to them as friends. Seeing one of them harmed like that, and seemingly because of him, was a little more than he could stand.

_Kisshu sat still as a stone on the bed as he listened. His haggard breathing revealed the terror welling within him. Each word that spilled from his friend's mouth deepened all the fear he felt before. He felt the same as he had when he was trapped in the darkness. His chest ached as images of Ichigo's battered body filled his mind. The thought of her hurt that way sent icy chills through him. Just listening made him feel like he wanted to crawl out of his skin. He couldn't stand any of this or the helpless feeling it gave him in the pit of his stomach._

_"And I don't even know what was happening, she just started coughing up blood. I didn't see anything touch her but..." The little alien hugged his arms to his chest. "Before we could stop them she was just in the air. They grabbed her up out of Akasaka's arms and were gone just like that!"_

_The café owner flinched at the mention of the girl being stolen from his arms. His long dark hair swayed as he shifted his weight uncomfortably. The cheerful, glass-half-full human was not wearing a smile anymore. Guilt was written all over his sculpted features, clearly taking on the responsibility. It was not as if he could have stopped what happened but that fact did not seem to matter. Perhaps he too was feeling helpless and responsible. He took on the responsibility for the Mew Mews as much as Shirogane always had._

_Lettuce stood close to him, lightly clinging to his arm, eyes red from tears. The shy and delicate girl was having trouble dealing with seeing one of her best friends hurt so. Of all of them, Lettuce was always the one to nurture others first. Her kind and gentle heart was sensitive to the pain of others. She cared deeply about everyone, but Ichigo had been one of her first friends in the group._

_Zakuro stood stoically against the wall with her arms crossed under her breasts but anyone that knew her would know full well how tormented she truly was. Her face was emotionless but her eyes betrayed her. Spoken or unspoken, she was taking this on the chin. The she wolf had always taken a great part of the protector roll in the group. She often seemed like the harsh, but good big sister to the Mews. It killed her to have seen a member of her team tormented so, and even more, and dear friend. Ichigo had always believed in her right from the start. She shifted and moved closer to Keiichiro, some insecure part of her seeking out the comfort he tended to bring to the group._

_"Kisshu..." Taruto's wide eyes turned to lock with the older alien, "I'm sorry! I tried, I did! I didn't mean to let them get her." His voice cracked and faltered as his head dropped low to hide the emotion nearly spilling out in liquid form. "I'm sorry, Kisshu."_

_Kisshu rose from the bed, despite the instant protests his body made against the act, and moved to the boy's side, "This was not your fault, Taru." His long fingers weaved into the brown hair and pulled Taruto's head against his shoulder._

_The boy did not resist the partial hug, wanting so badly to behave like a man, but too emotional to pull of the stoic nature Pai would have. It was times like these that he was reminded just how young Taruto still was. He was still very much a child even though he had grown. Kisshu was struggling with everything in him to remain as composed as he had been. It took so much effort not to reveal the sheer agony in his heart. His pride as a warrior refused to allow him to show all the emotion within him, but if he did, he would be no different than Taruto. His own feelings of helplessness and failure plagued him with every breath. It was so much to take in. He could not seem to take in a full breath of air anymore, breathing deeply to fill his lungs but never managing to._

_"I may know where they are." Kisshu worked to still the slight quake in his voice. "I've been to the place they are keeping her." His eyes turned to the others slowly. "We need to at least try to find her. If she is there we will get her out no matter what!"_

_The alien released Taruto and glided past him to exit. He hurried off the ship, not waiting to see if they were following. At this point he did not care at all if they followed or if he went alone. While Taruto had been explaining things to him his memory had been slowly coming back in snatches. His memory was hazy but he felt sure he knew where that place had been. When he planted the killer moth atop the tower he smelled all those same scents. Those sounds coming from outside those walls were the sounds he heard when he was picking his target. If he was right, they would have the upper hand. They would have no way of knowing he could tell where he had been kept. Drugged or not, his senses were always higher than a human, and he was sure. If they could just get there fast enough he was sure they would get to Ichigo in time. They just had to get to her! He noticed only slightly when Taruto, Pudding hanging on his arm, joined the alien's side._

_Something inside him felt like it was cracking. Everyone had their breaking point. The rage and hate was bubbling up inside him until he was not sure he would ever be calm again. The only thing he could think of was how he would kill the people that took her from him and tormented her. There was nothing in the world that would stop him from making them pay now. His fists clenched hard at his sides, claws digging into his palms. Kisshu drew his lower lip in to chew it, fangs digging in. His pulse was racing with the fury he felt. It was time to get that bunch of fools. _

_He would get Ichigo out today! He would rescue her himself while the others distracted the Crusaders. That masked bastard would not get the better of him this time. Never again! This time he would get Ichigo away from him. They could just see how powerful aliens could really be! Unlike with Ichigo, he had no wish to keep those humans alive. He would not hold back anymore, he would rip into their throats and shred them from the inside out. The crazed look he had when he battled the Blue Knight for Ichigo was glinting in his eyes. No one would ever have Ichigo but him, not ever! He waited all this time to have her and no one would ever take her from him again. No matter what he had to do he would reclaim her._

_Ichigo made him soft but he was already remembering his warrior side. When he was with her she brought out all the qualities in him that were good. There was another thing his love for her brought out of him - this side of him that Ichigo feared, the crazed and reckless side, showing through in his golden eyes - that was the other thing she brought out in him. His jaw was set in a determined rage that he really only felt when his kitty was involved. He would never forgive them for touching her, never. This was going to end. Ichigo would never have to worry about those people again because he was going to shred all of them into pieces._

* * *

The long black coat billowed as Duke turned swiftly on his heels to face the group, ready to reveal more of his precious plan to them. He could not hold back the cold smile nearly swallowing his face. He could feel energy rushing through his veins as he prepared to let them in on a little more of his greatest joy. This was his high, his pride, his shot of adrenaline. It was nothing compared to what was to come once things had finally peeked, but it was a shot in the arm of pleasure. Soon, things would fall into place. Soon, he would have started that war of the worlds, literally. Soon, he would have two worlds in the palm of his hand to crush at his pleasure.

_"We will be getting visitors later on so we will need to be ready to welcome them." A rumbling laugh rose from his throat, "We could hardly give them any less than the best of welcomes, could we?"_

_Happy Child made a leap of joy into the air, blond hair swaying with the motion, "We get to have fun with them, right!" His grin matched Duke's and his eyes danced with glee, "This will be fun, right?"_

_Duke hummed with approval, "Yes, there will be great fun, Utamaro." His toes tapped against the floor, "I will tell you all what you must do in a moment so we can put on a grand show. I will tell you a bit about our goal first though, just to be sure we are all of one mind."_

_Happy Child rocked back and forth on his heels, grin still firm on his face. "How are we going to deal with them this time, Duke?"_

_He tapped a finger to his chin as he eyed them, pacing a bit. He moved to stare into the large mirror hanging on the wall before his eyes detected a bit of odd movement next to his head. He chuckled and lifted his hand. Duke flicked a moth out of the air and it landed in a basin of water on the table beside him. All eyes turned to the struggling moth in the water. It flailed wildly, trying to fly, but it's wings were already useless. It worked to swim to the sides._

_ "You see, we are like this water, and the others are like that moth. For now, the moth still believes it will survive, sure it can get to the sides and does not realize its fate." As the moth drew nearer to the side Duke stirred the water to push it back to the center again._

_Sweet Juliet looked from the bowl to their leader. "I don't think I understand your point."_

_Duke smiled. "Well, you see, it is slowly drowning as it struggles. The water is slowly killing it." He stared back down at the moth who was struggling for the side again, and flicked the water a second time. "Our job is to be this water as well as to ensure they do not reach the side of the bowl to crawl out. Our job is to ensure that they die."_

_The moths struggling had slowed as it grew weaker. Only one or two legs moved occasionally. The water soaked into the wings making them look darker and darker. A wicked smile was on their leader's face as he watched, amused by his own demonstrative lesson. They all watched, poised over the bowl of water, until its movements finally stilled altogether and it floated dead over the waters surface. Though it struggled hard it could not overcome the death the water had to offer. The creature's fate had been sealed the moment it crossed paths with Duke, but it was not the only thing that would have a potentially fatal encounter with this man._

_Duke turned from his place over the water bowl and walked to his chair, "If the alien is nearly as bright as he seems, they will be here soon. That was the whole purpose of letting him go, after all."_

_"So, we are going to set a trap for them when they get here? What kind this time?" Blue Bayou asked in a bored tone._

_"That will be the fun part!" Duke dropped into his chair and linked his fingers under his chin. "The girl is still alive so we will simply use her. Live bait is always the most ideal for big game hunting."_

_"And just which of them is the game? Is it the Mew Mews or that Alien?" Yura asked in her smooth, star worthy voice._

_"Our prey for the day is not one group, it is the whole... Kisshu will bring the others to us. My plans hold a lot with Kisshu but the others will be of equal use." Duke chuckled and crossed one leg over the other. "With the girl here, we can get every last one of them. Now that she defied me it is her only use so don't hold back. You need not worry about breaking her, it doesn't matter. I have to break her into pieces soon anyway."_

_"Weren't you going to break her all along, Duke?" Utamaro chimed in, "I thought you were always planning to break those two toys."_

_Duke's eye lifted to the child, "Of course I did, but not as soon as now. I had hoped to use them a while before they were useless. The alien and the girl will still be my puppets. I had to rethink a few details, but it is prefect this way too. Using them, the war will be at hand very soon." He crooned happily, "I will play with those puppets a little more though."_

_At last, Royal Highness spoke up, "Play with them how? What else besides bait can the girl be now?"_

_Duke uncrossed his legs and leaned forward in his chair, "I will play the lovebirds. Kisshu wants her so badly, I will allow him that... at a price."_

_The leader continued to explain what each of them were to do once the guests arrived. He had no intention of letting the Mew Mews in, only Kisshu. They each had their own trap to walk into. That was easy enough considering the way the house was constructed. It was old and riddled with passages. Getting ride of, capturing the others was a trifle of a task. Only fools stormed a king's castle without knowing what traps awaited. This castle of theirs was far more complex than the would be rescuers could guess. The outside was normal enough but the inside was a different story. When one was in their own element they always had the upper hand. The Crusaders had been instructed on their individual tasks so they hurried off to ready the trappings. He noticed only mildly that Sweet Juliet seemed un-attentive to his words but he was sure she heard him._

_Duke snapped his fingers, "Takenori, before you attend to that, bring the girl in here to me."_

_A nod and slight grunt was all the response the Crusader leader got from the boy but that was fine enough. He reclined, long legs stretched out in front of him. His eyes drifted closed reluctantly. Being in two minds at once always was tiring. Now that he was alone it was mildly catching up to him. It was hard to remain awake as he waited for the girl to be brought in. It took only a few minutes before he had fallen into a mild sleep. Unfortunately for him, around the same time Tatara had arrived with the girl. The sound of metal chains dragging over cold stone alerted him to the approach so he sat up again as the strong teen brought in the limp body and set her in Duke's lap. Blue Bayou did not stay or speak, only left to attend his assignments. _

_Sleepy blue eyes scanned the face of the unconscious girl. It was a pity he had to break this toy so soon. She would have been fun to play with much longer. He liked sets, and she was part of a set. They would still be fun to play with. Only for now was she more useful alive than dead. He would keep her alive long enough to accomplish the creation of his new plan. She owed him that much for demolishing his first plan the way she had. It irked him to no end that she defied him._

_"I would have broken you more gently if you had been a good girl, you know." He ran a finger over her jawline thoughtfully, blood oozing between his fingers. "You will hurt most when you have to watch what I do to him because of you. I know that pain will be more than what I did to punish you this time. I warned you so many times, little girl." He dug out the stained cloth he used to brush the blood away from his hands the last time and swiped it over her face. _

_He cleaned away a bit of blood from the girls color drained face. She looked so lifeless this way, not that he cared. He liked her better this way than when she struggled against his every order. She deserved to be punished after refusing his commands that way. How did she not think he would be angry with her? He cupped a hand under her head to lift it up to see her face better. Now that he thought of it a bit more, he was not only going to be getting the set of the two lovers but the collection of Mew Mews as well. He could save that project for a little later, after the war had begun, and he was bored. He would catch them now but play with them later._

_"Ichigo, can you hear me?" He leaned closer to her, lips brushing the curve of her ear, "Do you want to see Kisshu again? I am going to let you see him today."_

_Her eyelids twitched but did not open, "Kisshu..." She spoke the word breathlessly but desperately._

_"That's right. I will let you see him. Aren't you thankful?" Duke simpered, amused by her weakness._

_A single tear edged its way from the corner of her eye, spilling down her face, "Kisshu..." _

_"Soon." He smirked and pulled her limp body into a sitting position, cradling her like a doll. "He will be here soon."_

_He traced his finger over the line he made earlier in her skin with Kisshu's blade. It seemed so fitting to carve at her with her dream love's possession. There was something beautifully betraying about it. The blade the alien used to protect her had now carved into her flesh. He had even carved a Kisshu's name into her thigh just for good measure. A laugh shook him as he pondered what sort of expression the boy would have when he saw his little love. _

**_AN: _**

**_Duke_**

**_Yura Yamashita- Sweet Juliet_**

**_Takenori Tatara- Blue Bayou_**

**_Akizuki Yuzen- Royal Highness_**

**_Utamaro- Happy Child_**


	20. The Dragon's Den

**The Dragon's Den**

_ A sharp prick in her arm made her eyes flutter open. A harsh light made her squint and close them again. Going from the inky blackness of her unconsciousness to the bright light above Ichigo made her cat eyes dance in her head, pupils flexing wildly in and out. The transformation had dropped away to leave her human again, but her eyes and senses were still very much like her cat's form. A few cord looking things were stuck into her arm. She felt a set of hands on her, a familiar presence lingering over her like a predator. Panic hit long before cognitive thought and her knees raised in an attempt to begin kicking at him. It surprised her that she felt no chains to hold her down. Noticing her shock at the presented opening, he simply dropped his upper body over her, hands both moving to clamp down on her arms._

_"Don't fight, this is keeping you alive." Duke spoke into her ear and gave her arms a tight squeeze, "You lost a lot of blood so if you don't get back some more fluids you won't last long. I have to keep you alive long enough to further my plans."_

_Her head rolled to the side, away from him. "I guess that just puts you in the humanitarian of the year category."_

_The motion and exerted energy made her head spin. She felt sick, so sick. It was a relief when her lack of further struggle made him move off of her again. She hated being near him with every fiber of her being, but the added stress to her body brought by his weight did not help things. It already felt like the lining in her throat and stomach was being eaten away by acid. The distinctive gag reflex was trying to make an appearance though she was doing her best to fight it. Bile began to rise in her throat, she could feel it inching its way up, threatening to exit. She swallowed hard in an attempt to push things back down but it did no good. Her head was aching and pounding in her temples. Everything hurt, even breathing._

_"The nausea will pass after you get back some of these fluids I'm pumping into you." He reached over to a metal table and brought back a wet cloth. "Relax, this won't last too much longer. Soon, I won't need to be harsh with you anymore." The cloth's cold fibers brushed over her face and neck, "You are the one that brought all this on yourself. I could have been nice to you but you would not obey. Your suffering is your own fault." He ran the wet cloth down her arms, patting her wrists with it several times._

_The actions seemed almost tender but she guessed he learned things like this from being a doctor. Considering he was the one that did this to her though, she could think little of the hippocratic oath he must have taken. For someone that vowed to do no harm he was certainly going back on his word with the past few days alone. If anyone should have understood what it was to be kind, it should be a doctor, but it seemed he never learned the lessons. There was little worse than a doctor like him, one that had grown to believe he was a god. All his brains for science and healing turned him into nothing more than a glorified monster that thought only of his own greatness. He used his knowledge to torment and not to save._

_"What is it you are going to do soon?" She muttered quietly, weakness showing in her voice._

_"Hmm? You want to know?" He chuckled a bit and set the cloth down on her forehead. "Well, soon, all the pawns will be arriving here. You are my bait after all. I won't be using you in quite the way I first intended but I might like my revised plan even better anyway. Even disobeying puppets like you can't stop me." He laughed, the sound of insanity in his voice, "I did not have to change things very much, I just will be altering the part of my plan that revolved around Taruto's death. Everything else stays the same."_

_Ichigo's voice cracked, eyes stinging with the tears she refused to shed. "What are you going to do to Kisshu?"_

_"Ah, yes, your cute little lover..." Duke hooked his fingers under her knee and pulled it up, tracing the scabbed and bruised tissue of her leg where he carved the name into it._

_Ichigo's face twisted, even the light touch of his hand enough to send stabbing pain through the deep cuts._

_"Well, he will be arriving with your friends in just a while. They are coming to storm the castle gates to rescue the fair princess. They just don't know yet that the evil dragon is going to let them inside. They should be smarter than to come at me in my own home but they are just to focused on what I have done to be wise."_

_"Leave them alone, I'll do what you say!" A pent up tear slipped out of the corner of her eye._

_"I do believe I already gave you that chance. We've been through that issue before. I don't give second chance to puppets that defy me." He released her leg to hover over her with a wicked smile, "Soon, you will have company in here."_

_Her fingers wound weakly into his sleeve as the tears began to fall more consistently from her eyes, "No, please! Don't hurt them! Please!"_

_Duke's fingers raked her red hair, tucking it behind her ear, "Now, now, don't cry! You'll cry away all the fluids I'm putting back into you." His lips pressed briefly against her forehead, "Don't worry, kitty. If you and your friends obey me from now on, I won't have a reason to kill them. You, on the other hand, will have to die after I'm finished with you. I could never trust you again, now could I?"_

_She tried in vain to shrink back, repulsed when his lips touched her, but the metal table was unforgiving._

_"What does depend on you though, largely, is whether or not I will let Kisshu live. If you can make him be good, I will let him live. I bet you could even convince your other friends to be good." He straightened and plucked the tubes from her arm, scooping her up in almost the same motion._

_Ichigo did not fight him, did not quite have the will or the strength to try. Her body went slack in his arms, not even bothering to hold up her head. Her eyes drifted closed as she pondered his words. What could she really do to save her friends from him now? They would come in here, just as he said, she knew they would. Kisshu especially would be blind with his old rage. Years ago, when it came to her, he always rushed in without thinking. He was never rational when it came to her, she knew it to be his greatest weakness. The others might be more wise but she could not be fully sure what they would do after what had happened earlier. They might all do exactly as Duke said, rush into the dragon's lair. _

* * *

So far so good, nothing had even begun to present a problem. Everything was quiet, though perhaps a little too quiet. This could have been the wrong place, but the creepy atmosphere, rose tapestries, and decorative armor pieces hanging on the walls seemed like a fair give away. It looked like a place the Saint Rose Crusaders would choose to live in, a near castle looking structure. The air was frigid and ominous. The group moved down the halls as quietly as church mice. Though the front door had been locked, it was effortless to force, especially for an angry Kisshu.

_Akasaka's eyes darted back and forth, brows turned down in a thoughtful scowl. He likely was analyzing all the potential ways they could be ambushed in this place riddled with doors and windows. On the insistence of Zakuro, he was keeping to the back of the group, the only one without powers. Lettuce was nearly clinging to his side as they walked, her green eyes fearful as they flitted about. She already had her castanets in hand, ready for an attack. Mint also had her weapon out, dangling at her side as if she was not as ready to cling to Akasaka as Lettuce was. The pride of the little rich girl was ever present, determination always in place to appear in control. The she wolf looked nearly as wildly on edge as Kisshu, long ears perked high, tipping back at froth to pick up any sounds, tail lashing absently. Taruto floated beside Pudding, keeping a tight hold on her hand. As a whole, they looked like a nervous mess._

_ Kisshu looked the worst by far. The bruises were getting more clear on his lily white skin, but it was his eyes that could have sent a chill of worry into anyone. Golden orbs scanned the halls from his place at the front of the line. He glided high, nearly over the others heads as he flew forward. Both hands were balled into fists at his side, every muscle plainly tensed. His eyes were predatory, wild with blind rage and obsession, the way they had been so often in the past. He was the real reason they had all come in here this way. He refused to wait, not wanting to take the time for Akasaka to scan the area, or to get a better feel on things. He headed right for the door despite their warnings to wait until they had at least a semblance of a plan of attack. They could not allow him to enter alone, a target painted on his back._

_Zakuro instantly halted, silently throwing up her hand as an indication, when they came upon a room that likely was at least one of the main areas. Her violet eyes scanned the hallway behind them and then shot back to the room before them. Unless they went back or into some other room, this was the only way to go forward. The door was open wide but inside was nothing but darkness. No light from a window, not even a candle inside. It made the fur of her tail stand on end. The others paused behind her, even Kisshu stopped to glance back at her. _

_"This is a trap, it has to be." The she wolf whispered, "Why would there have been nothing at all to stop us from entering if they were not expecting us to?"_

_Kisshu dropped down in front of her, hints of a snarl on his lips, "So what if it is a trap? Ichigo is still in here somewhere? You telling me you plan to leave her in here just because they might know we are coming? Aren't you her friend?"_

_Her sharp eyes leveled him with a harsh glare, the kind she used to put her group back in their place, "I want to get her out at least as badly as you do!" Her voice reminded even and cold, "But I have the others to think about. Walking into a trap ourselves leaves no one to save her or us. You would know that if you weren't blinded by your irrationality."_

_The alien leaned in, almost into the wolf girl's face, "What I see is that you're a coward afraid of the dark. You think I don't remember how you abandoned Ichigo and the others before? Even if it was to trick me, I wonder how much of that was the real you?" _

_Taruto swooped in protectively, rested a hand gently on the older alien's arm, "Maybe we should listen to her? She might have a poin-"_

_Kisshu jerked away like the touch was poisoned, "Fine! You listen to her, Taruto! Stay here." He turned sharply and dove into the dark room without another word._

_"Kisshu, wait!" Taruto started after him but Pudding grabbed his hand, eyes pleading, not wanting him to leave her side._

_A sudden hiss and a flicking sound made all heads turn toward Akasaka, "I have this lighter." He held the swaying flame up as he stepped past them and walked after the alien. _

_Zakuro moved in close at his side rather instantaneously. They grouped in close as they followed the darkening figure of Kisshu. The lighter helped a bit but not really enough. Taruto's eyes were the best able to see in such spaces but even he had some issues with it. The flame made the darkness dance, shadows swaying into all the corners and hiding places of the living room. The motion of the shadows made every table, chair, or painting look alive. Mint could not help a few startled reactions as their own shadows seemed to attack them, her nerves already overtaxed._

_Gratefully, they moved swiftly out of that room without event, and into the next. They sped up a bit to attempt to keep up with Kisshu as they moved down another hall way. The air in the hall seemed to chill steeply. All eyes darted from side to side as they walked as one. The darkness of these halls seemed highly intentional. The other halls were without curtains and some had even been open partly. It seemed more than a little suspicious. Even the mounted candle holders on the walls had been stripped of their candles. Taruto slipped his hand from Pudding's and floated up to check the seeming windowless area._

_Dark gold eyes widened as his fingers traced the sill of the window. The icy thick metal covering had been slid into place over this window as well as the others. There was no grip to raise the built in cover. Unless it was broken by sheer force there was no way to move it. There was no telling how thick it was but it felt like a heavy metal even his strength would take some time to break. He flew swiftly back to the group, sliding in beside Akasaka and Zakuro._

_"It is a trap!" He whispered urgently, voice strained, "The windows have sheets of metal over them." He looked every bit the child he used to be suddenly_

_.  
Zakuro's eyes shot ahead toward the lone member of the party, "Let's pick it up." Her stride grew faster, forcing the others to move faster as well._

* * *

Kisshu moved ahead of them blindly. It was dark but he could see enough to navigate the room and the halls. He did not care if anyone was hiding in here, in fact, he dared them to come at him. If they came at him, he would just be able to ring Ichigo's location from them. He would rip into anyone that tried to stop him. He did not care if the others were too afraid to face this group. That guy would find out how easy he was to beat! The other times had been on his terms, but now it was Kisshu's turn. It was dead silent here, no one seemed to have noticed them. It was the most promising time to try for them if they did not see him coming. There was no way, for any reason, he would let Ichigo stay here one more minute. He would find her and he would take her back. Nothing else mattered, only her. He did not care about anything else, not even his own safety.

_A loud, ear rattling sound rumbled over the top of him. It sounded as if the roof were falling in suddenly. Metal screeched from somewhere in the walls. His sharp golden eyes shot up but he could not see what could be coming at him. Motion from the ceiling just behind him caught his attention - Something coming._

_"Kisshu, look out!" Taruto's desperate voice reached his ears._

_He whirled to see Taruto flying his way at full speed. His mind wheeled to process what threat Taruto saw that he did not yet see. His eyes turned up again, but not in time to react to what he saw dropping fast. The giant sheet of metal fell like a stone in the ocean, missing him by mere meters. It connected with the floor with a hollow thud and a shake of the room. A chandelier rattled and shook, crystals chiming as they clinked together from the harsh jarring. There was silence for a minute and then the muffled sound of fists hitting the other side of the door, if you could call it a door. Taruto and the others were all on that side, poor odds for his situation. He swallowed hard, eyes drifting closed in realization. He cut himself off from the group, making an easy target. It was a good chance he just played right into their plans._

_"You make it too easy, Kisshu, too easy." A voice echoed in the dark abyss of the room, now even more dark than before, confirming the obvious, "That girl always takes away every shred of sense you have. She makes you so unbalanced, to the point of being unhealthy."_

* * *

_Taruto pounded on the door with both fists, a frantic mess, near tears.. He had been a little too late to get there. If he had seen it falling a minute sooner, he would have been in time. His fists finally dropped to his sides as he places one palm against the metal door. A flustered growl rose in his throat as the others moved in to examine it for themselves. They had all been a bit slow to spot the trap. The issue now would be how to get around this door. The metal was thick and they had no way of knowing what would be on the other side now._

_A light, like a spotlight, illuminated one corner of the large room. The sudden light in this darkness made all of them flinch, hands shooting up to shield their eyes. Two silhouettes stood against the harsh light like cardboard cut outs. The group struggled to adjust their eyes to the change, knowing full well they needed to be able to respond to whatever was about to hit them. Kisshu was not the only one clearly caught in a trap. They were all expected guests._

_A sweet sounding, if not dramatic, female voice broke into the silence in the room, "Well, we have been waiting for you. It is so nice of you to finally show yourselves."_

_Zakuro let out a low growl, "Sweet Juliet!"_

_"Yes, and of course, Blue Bayou is here with me." The girl answered very dully, back to sounding bored._

_"Akasaka, stay back." She stepped up well in front of him, tail lashing, "Stay together and watch each other's backs."_

_Sweet Juliet let out a little giggle, one they had never heard from her lips before in their time fighting the group, "You bunch are so far in over your heads, but you are still planning to fight us in our own house? Arrogant fools!"_

_The she wolf ignited her whip as her answer. Mint drew and pulled back her arrow at the ready, Lettuce and Pudding doing the same. At a disadvantage or not, they had no intention of surrendering. The truly arrogant ones were the Crusaders for thinking they would give up just like that. Zakuro frowned, tensing a bit further as she considered the situation. Though the St. Rose group always was too sure about themselves, this time did seem worse. It brought questions at to just what they had waiting and what secrets were hiding in this room. It did not matter though, they would face anything thrown at them. Zakuro whispered an order for Lettuce to stay back to guard Akasaka, but gave an order to the others to move on her signal._

_"Oh, before you make your grand move... I really must tell you something." The girl tossed a hand dramatically in the direction behind her that was still blanketed by darkness. "We have a friend of yours as one of our guests."_

_"We already knew that!" Taruto barked, "Why else do you think we came here, rotten cowards!"_

_The girl giggled again, "Oh, we have Ichigo too... but we found someone else snooping around our house besides all of you."_

_Blue Bayou flicked a switch on the wall and a second spotlight flared to life, "We found him snooping around some time ago. Guess he figured it out before any of you and came to make sure he was right."_

_Mint let out a yelp of horror and shock at the sight, clutching her bow to her chest as if it would shield her from this sight. Zakuro's eyes widened, muscles twitching as she stood in longing to rush for him, but knowing she could not. All eyes were fixed on the figure illuminated in the light. Ryou hung high off the ground, chains coming from his neck, arms, waist, and legs to keep him suspended in place. His eyes were closed, seeming fully unaware of their presence in the room. Dry blood mingled in with his blond hair and left a long and ugly trail down one side of his face. Blood ran down cuts and gashes all over his body and one arm looked bent at an odd angle, as if broken. They had clearly beaten him badly, leaving him unconscious and battered._

_If that was not bad enough, it grew worse as their eyes took in the full sight. He hung in the distance, having been behind a set of closed doors that now loomed open. The chains holding Shirogane were hooked to a ramp of some kind, hanger of sorts. His limp and unconscious body dangled over a tank of water full of swimming sharks. The water sparkled as their tails and fins skimmed the surface. The blood dripping into the water had them gathered with interest. This was a place Ichigo knew all too well, but it was their first time seeing it. Lettuce muffled her own cries with both hands clamped over her mouth, feet suddenly unable to stay still, moving her back and forth in place. Mint started to rush for their injured leader but Zakuro caught her, holding her in place with a firm hand._

_A sudden gasp from behind them mingled with an unusual suction noise caught their attention. The she wolf and Lettuce cried in unison, the sheer panic in their voices enough to shatter any calm the group had left. The floor behind them looked alive with movement, like a small tidal pool. Zakuro dove back and fell to her knees as the rippling floor stilled - Her claws dug frantically at the hard stone in an attempt to get past it somehow. Her eyes were wild, more so than ever before as she stared at the floor._

_"No!" Her fists pounded the floor desperately, "Keichiro!"_

_He had vanished into the floor like it was quick sand - There one second and gone the next. Lettuce dropped down beside her, terror mixed with guilt over her failure to watch him etched deep lines into her face. The unforgiving floor was unyielding to the pounding from the she-wolf's claws and fists. Her desperation was clear in her voice as she called out his name again. The group froze as a second shriek flew into the air. Something in them was afraid to look, desperately wishing they could believe nothing had happened, each already overloaded with what had already happened, not wanting to accept anything more. Had they not seen enough? Had this not been enough of a nightmare yet? The hellish events had already been too much for one day. Taruto's howls were the first to cut deep gashes into the hopes that noting more was happening._

_The little alien's voice trembled, "Pudding!" Both his hands clung to the wall, eyes fixed firmly on it where the girl had been pulled in._

_"You guys are like cats following a red laser pointer! You follow where we point and never ever see what we are doing behind your backs. It is too easy." Sweet Juliet's voice chimed in a cheery but dull tone again._

_Taruto's please silenced, enraged eyes turning to the lone girl standing in the light. "What did you do with Pudding?"_

_He did not wait for an answer, the fury in his eyes showing like fire as he flew forward. His lips were curled back into a deep snarl, claws ready to shred her the second he reached her. The rage in his eyes was more like the looks of pure insanity that often graced Kisshu's face in days gone by whenever it involved the cat girl. The two were more alike than they guessed most times, prone to irrationality when it came to those they loved. Ichigo was Kisshu's and Pudding was his. Pudding was the girl he defied Deep Blue for, even fighting Pai for. This was the monkey girl he loved more than his own life. She might annoy him at times but that was part of what made her so special. She had always been the one to love and accept him for who he was, seeing past all his false attempts to be someone he never was. She was the one that first saw his tender side and did not make fun of him for it. The monkey girl believed in him the way no one else ever did, encouraging him in her own weird ways. He could never let them take her from him, no more than Kisshu could._

_The Crusader stared at his approach with unwavering boredom, fear nowhere in her eyes even as he drew closer. His obvious intent seemed not even worth an expression change to her. She was confident even though she seemed to have no weapon in hand to fight him off, but she did not need one. A large mass moved swiftly up from the floor at her feet, shapes visible as Blue Bayou withdrew himself partly, only lifting himself out waist high. His eyes drilled the alien boy as he flew close. In one arm he had Akasaka and in the other he held Pudding. They were both clearly unconscious, bodies only partly out of the floor. Pudding's head lay limply against the Crusader's broad chest, no longer registering anything around her. Taruto jerked to a halt, coming up short of getting to Yura as he saw the girl he adored limp in the arms of the enemy._

_"Try to come near Yura and I will let them go!" Tatara's voice was a growl, low and threatening. "If I let them go, they will die instantly, crushed by the rock in the floor. I will crush their heads like melons if even one of you moves without being told to."_

_"Not only that, but if you make a move..." She dangled a controller from her fingers, "I push the button that drops your other friend into the tank for a swim. He's not in any shape to ever come back up. Even if the little alien could manage to port over fast enough to save one, the other two will still die."_

_Taruto hovered in place helplessly, terror filled eyes focused on the yellow haired Mew. He knew perfectly well he could never get to her in time. No matter how close he was, or how fast, the Crusaders had her right in their arms. Looking at the boy lingering between the regular word and the world of stone like some kind of ghost, he believed what was said. If all he had to do was let go of Pudding to let what part of her body was inside the floor be crushed, which was all but her head a part of her shoulders, she would be dead instantly. Tears of fear stung his eyes as he looked on silently, mind racing to think what to do next._

_Zakuro was nearly crawling out of her skin as she stared ahead at the sight - Three of her comrades looming just over deaths door driving her mad. Akasaka and Shirogane were ones she especially should have protected, the two without any powers to fight with! Why had she let this happen? Her purple eyes flickered as she stared at Akasaka, a man she had begun to look on more than the others recently. Why had she let him come? Why had she allowed him to walk in here with them? Ryou was bad enough, but she handed Keichiro to them on a platter. _

_Lettuce could finally hold in her sobbing no longer, letting out a shattering cry that could not be muffled by her hands. Mint seemed truly frozen, utterly unable to move, or perhaps even breathe as she stared wide eyed ahead. They all knew there was truly no move they could make. Whatever they did now would end in the death of the three captives being dangled in front of them. They were truly as trapped as they could possibly be. Move to save Ryou and Pudding and Keichiro would die... But move to save them and Ryou would die. They were truly caught. How had they let this happen?_

_**AN: Now you know where Shirogane has been. He was not being a slacker, he was being unconscious! Also, thank you all for the beautiful comments! Seriously! They help a lot!**_


	21. Trapped but with You

**Trapped but with you**

_There was no question at all that this trapped being was more than a potential hand full. His was the strength of perhaps ten of the strongest humans on earth, he posed a clear threat to the doctor standing in the darkness with him. The raw power and speed of this boy was incredible and even the leader of the Saint Rose knew to be careful of it. That same power even the cat girl feared was enclosed in here. No matter how he baited the alien with weakness insinuations, standing here with him fully awake gave Duke a rush of adrenaline. It excited him to know the power he had penned in this room. Such a toy was a trophy of unmatched status and it thrilled him._

_It was exactly because of that power he had set this trap, a trap that would bind the alien before he could act against him. No matter how Duke saw himself, and indeed he saw himself in the best of light, he still knew he would be unable to match this creature in a normal fight. Tricks and planning were the only way to gain the upper hand, but that was why he had always been a step ahead. _

_"You lost every shred of your sanity the moment I took that girl. Pitiful how you can forget yourself that way. I would expect better from one that brought Tokyo to its knees."_

_Wordlessly, the alien's eyes searched the darkness of the room, predatory rage sharp in his eyes, not moving until he could get an idea of the man's location._

_"You would be glad to know that your cat girl is alive, for now." Duke continued, soundlessly shifting a bit to move deeper into the corner._

_"If you hurt one hair on her head, I will never let you live." Kisshu's throat rumbled with the growl, "I will hunt you until you drop, chase you to the ends of the earth, and shred you like paper."_

_Duke could not help a laugh, highly amused by the words of the enraged alien. "You would try, but by that time, it would be too late for your dearest love." His lips curved into a cruel smile even if the other could not see it. "What good would it do you if I have already taken her from you?"  
"I will never let you. You will beg for mercy before me as I shred you and you will return her to me if you value your life." His voice held all the cold chill of a hardened killer, rage turning to an odd calm that only warriors possess within them. "You already know that nothing matters to me besides her so I will stop at nothing to take her back." Slowly, the alien opened a void to draw out his twin blades, though only able to catch hold of one._

_"I had a feeling you might say that, knowing your obsession." His fingers found the switch along the wall, knowing full well the alien had pinpointed his location._

_A large and bright spotlight rared to life, blinding those that had been in the pure darkness. The alien could not help taking a few steps back, raising his one free hand to shield his eyes. The light glinted off his dragon blade, the only one he could find. The catlike pupils in his pure gold orbs shrank to tiny slits in an attempt to filter out some of the light. It hurt to look at after being so used to the darkness but he knew he had to adjust fast, sure there would be something coming at him any second._

_His heart jolted painfully in his chest when he finally saw the picture before him. An attack he expected, but this had not entered his mind in all this time. The stains of red and purple bruises distorting all else. Her beautiful face was twisted into an expression of fear and pain as Royal Highness and Happy Child hovered beside the tortured beauties posed body. The chains holding her arms prone over her head made her seem so helpless, even more than being surrounded by her captors. Her chest rose and fell with her shallow but desperate breaths. Even at this distance he could see the trembles run through her small and now frail frame. The second of his own blades was in Royal Highness' hand, sharp of the blade held to her throat. The tip had already pricked into her tender neck, a trickle of blood running down to the hilt. The sight of her beautiful chocolate eyes looking into his with such defeat as blood stained her body made his head spin._

_Kisshu's voice cracked as he uttered her name, "Ichigo..."_

_"I anticipated you might show up like this so I prepared a welcome for you." Duke chuckled as he tilted his head to look at both Ichigo and Kisshu._

_"What have you done to her?" The alien's voice had turned husky with emotion, "Let her go right now!" His lips curled back to reveal his pearly fangs, knees pulling up in ready to spring on the leader._

_Duke stared at him with unwavering confidence as Ichigo was brought to a sudden shriek, Royal Highness driving the blade deeper into her soft and tender skin, as ordered, blood spilling a stark contrast against her skin. If the alien made a move for the leader, Yuzen had already been told to threaten the girl. The girl was their ace up the sleeve, the trump card. If she was threatened, her lover would do anything he was told to. With her, all his strength was rendered useless. The cold blue eyes momentarily wandered to the great door where he knew Yura and Takenori would be holding the others hostage about now. Those puppets should be on strings any moment now. _

_No matter how fast or how strong these futuristic creatures were, they were powerless when their weaknesses were squeezed. They could not make a move and risk the lives of their most precious human lovers. They knew how easy it was to steal the lives of their human girls. Even if they were Mews, their lives were easily taken. The aliens time fighting them had shown them that if nothing else. The delicacy of life was not something that escaped their minds. To these aliens, it was their greatest fear and easy to exploit._

_His golden cat eyes shot to the girl, both predatory and fearful, "Stop it!" He hissed, "Get away from her before I come for you first!"_

_"Wrong, Kisshu, if you make a move, she is the one that pays." Duke crooned calmly, as cold as any block of ice._

_"None of you will be alive long enough to harm her again! Take out the alpha and the others scatter!" Kisshu's eyes blazed as he flew forward, blade and claws aimed at Duke._

_They did not wait, they simply acted in the plan, the exploitation of Kisshu's weakness. Happy Child took the blade from Royal Highness, moving it to trace a new deep line of red down her shoulder as the older boy leaned in, fangs sinking deep into her neck just beside her main artery, excess blood spurted to dot Akizuki's face. Utamaro grinned wide as he watched with his usual twisted glee at what he deemed fun. Ichigo whimpered, knees curling up with the pain of the rough bite. She struggled against the chains but could not move to free herself._

_The message hit home instantly, the boy stopping just short of the killing strike. It all happened in seconds but he could hear her, could smell the spilling blood, and hear the sound of those fangs sinking into her - It made him sickly dizzy. His hand was around Duke's throat, blade poised to sink into his neck. The Saint Rose leader stared back at him, unmoving, a wicked smirk not hidden by the mask he was wearing. The blade in Kisshu's hand trembled as his eyes were held like a butterfly on a pin to Ichigo. No matter how great his desire to strike out was, his terror for Ichigo was greater by far._

_"Please, don't let us stop you. Be my guest and see what they do to her in the time it takes for you to pull that blade back out of my neck." Duke chuckled, madness in his voice showing a bit as he watched the twisted defeat enter his preys face, "But if you don't want to see that, I suggest you stand down... kneeling before me would be good, actually."_

_"Understood." The spark left the boys eyes as he opened a port and returned the lone blade back to its hiding place and then sank slowly to his knees. His head lowered as he bowed as he so often had to Deep Blue. It added insult to injury that they used his own blade to cut her, like they were making this partly his fault. So close, yet not close enough to win, too far to take the chance. One strike would allow him the kill, but she would die in turn. Winning the battle while having lost the war was not anything he wanted. He lost, once again. It was a bit hard to realize the similarity between the past and present. His own words; 'I lost' being as true now as they had been when he faced Deep Blue. He hated that she had to watch it all over again. Perhaps this was going to end similarly as well. _

_Duke let out a maniacal laugh as he stared down at the suddenly submissive alien. The contrast between Kisshu's gentle and attentive behavior with Ichigo and his wild, aggressive, and insane behavior in other regards was more than a little striking. It was enjoyable to watch him switch between what was nearly a full personality change. Ichigo was his heart and held all his gentleness in her hands. The boy that could never truly bring himself to harm her and even risked his life to save her whenever she was in danger, yet the same boy was ready to throw away all life on earth. Quite the fun toy._

_"Now that we understand each other it is time for a talk." Duke took a few steps in one direction and then the next, "Ichigo will continue to live as long as you follow my rules. If you promise to obey my orders I will allow her to live." He hummed a bit as he spoke the next words, "If you do not obey, and make me your master, she will die."_

_"Don't listen to him!" Ichigo only managed a whisper of words but received a sharp jab for it._

_Kisshu said nothing, staring at the ground motionless._

_"Promise to forget all your old loyalties for her sake, obeying only my orders. Promise to kill or destroy anything I tell you to, and never lift you hand against the Saint Rose. Can you promise to join our side, Kisshu?" He crossed his arms behind his back as he waited for an answer._

_After a moment of silence, Kisshu spoke with an even tone that surprise Ichigo, "I will promise to make you my master. I have no hesitation in pledging to you as long as you don't hurt Ichigo."_

_"Good! I knew you would understand." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a collar, tossing it to the floor in front of Kisshu, "Put that on. It will prevent you from using any more of your powers while you are here. I can't have you doing anything crazy."_

_"No!" Her voice was hoarse and strained from the increased pressure of the fangs on her neck but she continued anyway, "Don't do it, just run! Please!"_

_Like a mindless puppet, he reached down for the collar, fingers slowly curling around it to pick it up, and fastened it without pause around his own neck. He had ignored her pleading almost as if he never heard it at all - Her heart screamed and she longed to look away but could draw her eyes back. There was no expression visible with his carefulness to keep his head down but Ichigo was sure he must have felt nearly the same way about it as she had when Duke put a collar on her. It was demeaning and humiliating. It objectified you and made you feel less of a person. Tears stung her eyes as she watched him fasten the strap and heard the mechanical lock click, a light green glow coloring the skin under his chin where the receiver hung._

_"Kisshu!" Her voice was desperate but hardly had the power to carry across the room it was so quiet._

_His eyes finally lifted to meet with hers, his expression stoic, "Don't worry, Koneko-chan."_

* * *

__

The little group, or what was left of them stayed still as statues, knees and palm pressed against the cold floor. No one spoke, only Zaukro kept her head up, daring to star back at the two captors before them. Her dark eyes betrayed her intense desire to shred both Sweet Juliet and Blue Bayou to pieces, but she made no move at all to act on it. Taruto kept his head down, fingers curled into fists as he stayed on the floor. He could not bear to see the blonde monkey that way, dangled between death and life. It killed him inside to know he could only save her as long as he did nothing, obeying orders like a dog. But what could he really do? He could never risk getting her killed, not for any reason, he just could not take the chance. It was true, he might be fast enough to get to her, but how could he be sure he would succeed? If he failed... he just could not do it, not with the price of failure so high.

_Yura slowly walked toward the young alien, stopping just short of being in reach, "Put this on." Her fingers let a tan collar with a computer chip like box at its front fall to the floor in front of him. "Slowly, if you please?"_

_His burnt yellow eyes lifted to look up from his subservient position into her cold orbs and slight smile, the face of a heartless she-devil if he ever saw one, "What is it?" Though he posed the question his hand still slowly slid over the cold surface toward it, fingers closing around it to draw it back._

_"It's something to keep you from using your inhuman aspects. All that power you aliens have is problematic, you know?"_

_It did make sense that they would try to hinder or subdue him. His speed was likely the first thing they were worried about on top of his ability to port. Prisoners that could vanish at will were a problem. How could they know how to stop his powers though? They could hardly know their weaknesses, could they? No alien would ever give up such secrets, he could not see that. They could never know how to stop their powers so this had to be nothing better than a guess. He would wager the collar did not even work. He would go along with this, of course, so they would let their guard down._

_Slowly, as instructed, he lifted the collar up around his neck, taking in a bit of its construction as he did. The inside was computerized as well, he could see chips and wires all along the layers. Whatever it was, it was well made. Carefully, being sure not to move fast and spook the girl, his lithe fingers slipped the strap through the slot and tightened it. The sound of a click was instantly followed by a sharp electric shock that ran through his whole body. Without intending to, he let out a short pained gasp, not having expected the numbing jolt. He had not anticipated it hurting at all, and definitely not that much. It very nearly made him dizzy as little shocks continued to run up and down his spine. His fingers moved reflexively to rub his neck under the collar in an attempt to ease it._

_"Hurts, does it? He thought it might." She stepped past him, clearly not viewing him as a threat any longer, "The rest of you have some bracelets to put on. What girl doesn't need jewelry?" _

_Once they were all secured with shackles, Blue Bayou finally drifted out of the floor and walked to Sweet Juliet's side. Neither of his hostages had begun to stir but they were swiftly chained as well. It seemed a bit more insulting to have been forced to put on their own chains but after the brute of a Crusader had let go of the hostages he soon hung more on them, chains hanging from their necks, wrists, and ankles made this seem a bit more real to the lingering desires left in them that they could still get away. It was a bit harder to hope for the best when moving had become its own challenge._

_Clamping a leash onto Taruto's collar, the girl gave his neck a jerk in an indication to come with her. He felt a bit like a dog suddenly and not caring at all for the idea. His cat like eyes moved to the still sleeping Mew on the floor. She was so near, but he was being lead away from her. Now might be his best chance, with them seeming to feel so safe. He would make his move to put the girl down first, then grab Pudding before the big guy could get to her. He just needed his weapon, which would be easy enough, all he had to do was summon it from the voids. They would never see it coming._

_Swiftly, he moved to open a port to take out his- A surprised shriek left his lips as an intense, mind numbing, lightning like pain shot through his whole body. The second he tried to use his ability, the pain had come, but how? His hands went to cradle his head as the pain settled there with a vengeance. He sank to his knees without even realizing it, but he would not have cared even if he realized his weakness was showing. It hurt too much for him to care just now. _

_"Maybe I better take him." Blue Bayou glanced at him with a glare._

_Sweet Juliet waved her hand dismissively at him, "No, I get the easier job. He'll be a kitten now." She jerked the leash again, nearly dragging him on his knees, drawing a whine from him._

_He did not want to move right now, bile was rising in his throat just from being moved. If she was not careful he would get sick all over her. He gripped the leash with one hand, leaning heavily on it. She would pull it again, he knew, and he hoped to control how hard. A bit more gently, she tugged on him to get him on his feet. His eyes were only open slightly as she lead him away to some unknown location. Ever so slowly the pain was ebbing away but he was none too eager to find it again, already pacified from this moment in time. This pain was worse than any beating he had taken, on a much deeper level. It attacked every nerve in his body, setting each and ever one on fire, settling in his head from the massive overload of pain signals. He wanted to fight but he did not have the strength left to do anything but blindly follow her, feet stumbling over themselves as he did. His eye were even a bit glazed, he could tell by the blur in his vision. Even the day fighting against Pie and Deep Blue had not hurt this way. It felt a little like poison. _

_The young alien let her tug him into a room as she slid the door open. She nudged him into a chair, swiftly fastening his chains to the floor. The clearer his mind grew, the more he realized things were taking a swift turn for the worse. He had a bad feeling about this room and he sincerely hoped to be proven wrong. His mind was already moving back to the fallen Ryuu he had seen a bit earlier and he had a hunch this was the room they beat him in. Even in a daze he could smell the blood. The sent snapped him back to reality a bit and he struggled against the bindings, snarling at her through clenched teeth. _

_"Relax while you still can, Duke will be here soon." She said the words so coldly it chilled him, the clear threat so obvious._

_A scowled met her as he tried to think over his situation, already wondering over Pudding's condition. He was not the type to sit here and wait for some unknown psycho to come for him. He was a warrior, young or not. He could take the pain now that he was expecting it. Perhaps it had only picked up on the fact that he was reaching for a weapon. Maybe his emotion in that moment gave him away. If he stayed perfectly calm, he might be able to pull it off this time. Maybe it was her that triggered the collar the way she threatened to send the blonde to the sharks. If she did not see it coming this time, it might work. He had to give it a try, at least. He evened out his breathing as he stared at her, purposefully relaxing his body as he carefully moved to open a port._

_His head jolted back, neck and back arched as a strained scream was forced from him. The pain was more intense, he was sure of it. The pulses of pain ripping at his every nerve lasted longer this time. Even the chains around his wrists and ankles felt like they intensified the burning, like conductors for lightning. He whimpered as the last of the pulses finally stopped to again settle in his head like an explosion. Slight trembles shook his body and a lone tear slid from the corner of his eye as the horrible pain in his head throbbed. It really did feel like poison. With this new round of pain, he had a good idea what the collar used but how could they have gotten information like this? It was not possible for them to know about things like this!_

_She took a few steps closer, leaning down to look him in the face, "You are as bad as Ichigo, always fighting even though you don't have a chance. You should just give up and be obedient."_

* * *

__

They had taken her back to a different room than she had been to before. It was brighter, white walls rather than stone, perhaps a new addition or something in the center of the house. She had not been chained down this time, maybe because they knew she did not have it in her to run away. The spirit was willing to run and fight but the body was oh so weak. Had she not felt so miserable she might have noticed the bed in this room was softer and more comfortable than the one she had been chained to before - It was larger too, with what she guessed to be several closets along the walls. She could not remember when they last gave her water or food. The best she had was whatever Duke pumped into her with those tubes. She still felt like a walking pincushion from all the punctures a bite marks. None of that matter to her now though, she just wanted to know what they were doing to Kisshu and the others. 

_Her head rolled over the white pillow as she took in a shaky breath, mind conjuring any number of horrors that could be happening to them. They took her away but kept Kisshu in that room with Duke. That was more than enough to driver her wild with worry. Being alone with Duke was the last thing she would wish on anyone, most of all him. She wanted to be there, to keep fighting. She wanted to shred that collar he had been forced to wear. Guilt rolled over her in waves as she pondered all the terrible possibilities that could be happening while she stayed here safely on the plush bed. What was happening outside this room? She simply had to know._

_When the two shut the door she had been sure they did not lock it, she had not heard a bolt slide home. There was a chance they did not expect her to be able to do anything, but surely she could make it. This could be her only chance to find the others. No matter what, she had to try! She shifted into her Mew form in hopes that it might help her get moving better._

_Gingerly, she pushed herself into a sitting position, every muscle in her body screamed with the act. Her head began to swim wildly but she swung her legs off the side of the bed anyway, pushing past it to the best of her ability. Her arms were already shaking and her legs felt like jello as she forced them to support her in a standing position. The blood drained from her face, leaving it feeling cold and tingly. She had never felt like this before, not even after all the fighting with enemies in the past, she had never felt this drained before. Her foot slid carefully over the floor as she took one step, and then another, staggering toward the door. Her body pitched forward as a wave of nausea hit her, nearly driving her to the floor. It was only her stubbornness that made her reach out to catch the dresser, leaning over the top of it in order to stay upright. _

_She went stiff and straight, adrenaline hitting her as she heard the doorknob twist in someone's hand. Her eyes widened as she desperately wished she had gotten to her feet earlier. Maybe she could have made it if she had pulled herself together sooner. The masked face of Duke was the first thing she saw as the door swung open. Her pink eyes stared wide at him, dreading what he had come to do to her this time. Surprisingly, he did not move to enter, rather stepping to the side as a different person entered._

_Her heart began to beat again as she saw that familiar silky hair and golden eyes staring back at her. He said nothing as he came in, hands at his side meekly. Neither made a move as Duke reached for the door again and slid it closed wordlessly, this time sliding the deadbolt home from his side of the door._

_"Kisshu!" Her legs took a few shaky steps toward him, sight instantly blurring as tears welled up in her eyes, heart aching at the sight of him. "I'm sorry!" She could not even see him more than a blurred mess through the unshed tears in her pink eyes._

_He moved forward, arms moving around her swiftly, pulling her tight against him, "It's alright, I'm here now, Ichigo. Don't cry, alright?" His fingers found her hair and cupped the back of her head before brushing her cat ear with one finger._

_Her weak frame collapsed against him, unable to hold herself up any longer no matter how she wanted to pretend she could. Perhaps he would not notice, putting it to her tears and gratefulness to see him. She locked her knees so at least she could partly keep them from collapsing. As long as he was standing here to hold her, she could stay up. Her shoulders shook with a restrained cry, trying so hard not to fall totally apart in the arms of the person she had been longing to see but wishing she would not. Her head dropped against him, not even able to stay up if not for his hand there. Desperately, she did not want him to see how hard it was not to crumple at his feet even with his arms there to support her. She could feel her muscles trembling and fervently hoped he could not feel it too._

_"I'm sorry!" The tears broke free and began to stream down her face, "It's all my fault! I'm sorry I brought you into this! I did not want to have you involved. I- I..." Her voice cracked and wavered as she spoke, all the emotions for the past few days spilling out in shuddering sobs._

_"Hush, I came here by my own choice. Did you think anything could keep me away?" Tilting his upper body to slipping a hand gently under her knees, he scooped up the nearly limp girl and carried her to the bed. "I'm the one that is sorry for not getting to you sooner than I did."_

_Ichigo shook her head weakly, face rubbing against his chest, "No, no, you should never have come here at all. If I had sent you away the first day Royal Highness came, you would not be involved. I knew something bad would happen if you stayed but I kept you here anyway." Her fingers wound desperately into his shirt, comforted by his arms but crushed by the guilt from their presence. "If I was only stronger I could have avoided all this. Now he's going to hurt you too and make you do things." Her words faded into unintelligible mutterings._

_He slowly sat on the edge of the bed, eased her backside off his lap and eased her head back onto the pillow. The alien slid in at her side, head resting at her shoulder, her legs still tangled over the top of his but he did not move them off. The white, hospital like covers of the bed were dotted with her blood. She was so weak, he could see that plainly enough. He could feel it, how close she was to death. Her skin was cool and her eyes, even though they were hidden by the tears, were cloudy and dull. Even her tail that normally had a slight absent minded twitch at the tip was still. He would have been in a rage if not for terror at this sight overwhelming all his other senses. He would have stormed the doors to strangle the life out of anyone he found if not for the fact that being beside her was more important._

_"Everything is my fault." Fresh tears fell from the corners of her eyes, "If he didn't have me you would never have had to say those things, those promises." Her eyes widened and her chilled finger found his face. "But, Kisshu, I'm begging you to go! The minute they let you out of here, you need to run. Don't stay here for me, don't obey him to save me! I want you to forget about me and run!"_

_Using his elbow, he edged himself farther up until he was hovering over her. "Like I would ever think that, Konecko-chan! I don't want to hear any more of that talk." His head dropped down, lips slipping over hers to ensure her silence._

_She whined into his mouth, tears still flowing past her closed lids._

_After a minute he finally pulled back, lips making a slight smack as they left hers. He inhaled slowly, tongue sliding over his lower lip. Even her lips were cold. The weakness, the far too light breathing, hearing it made his chest ache. He did not want to let himself truly dwell on how bad she really was. There was nothing he knew to do to fix her. Maybe if he could relax her, get her warm, and make her feel safe, she would improve. He just did not know what to do and it terrified him that he could think of nothing. He only knew to make her smile and try to make her feel safe._

_"Don't you remember, Koneko-chan?" He closed his eyes, pressing his face into her soft pink hair and neck. "I was ready to give up my world and the mew aqua just to be with you. I have always been willing to do anything for you. Even when I wanted to I could never manage to leave you. What makes you think I will change now?" He pressed in close to her to warm her with his body. "Nothing will ever make me leave you. Wherever you are is my home. I waited all this time to be with you and I won't give you up now. None of this is your fault, it never was."_

_"Yes, it is my fault." Her breath came out in a shudder, "I could not stop him. I just let it all happen."_

_"I know that is not true. You fought him every way you could, I already know, you're too stubborn to obey anyone." He lifted his head to look her in the eye, "We will get through this together, you and I."_

_He slid his arm around her waist, positioning his upper body partly over hers. He let his warm breath whisper over her face before he pressed his lips to hers supple ones again. They were trembling but opened to return his kiss. Despite his worry over her, being here with her at last stirred his usual longing for her. He knew he should never entertain such a thought, and he would do nothing to act on it, but it was there all the same. His little goddess would never understand what she did to him. Thinking these thoughts were easier than thinking about her condition or about how she might be slipping away through his fingers. He did not want to think of that now that he was finally with her again after what had seemed like years._

_Ichigo's cold fingers slid up his front, bunching his shirt as they went. As her fingers ran over him, he realized how tense he still was from all the built up stress. Her tiny fingers touching him drew his mind to how stiffly he held her and he made an effort to relax his body for her. Her finger tips traveled over the offending collar and came to rest on his face like a cool breezes brushing his face in winter. Her weak, exhausted eyes stared up into his golden ones. Her other hand came to rest and lightly caress his side - The coldness of her hand on his exposed skin very nearly made him shiver. Had his worry not been foremost in his thoughts, he would have enjoyed this more. There was love in her eyes, adoration, and even relief, but there was something else there that frightened him - Surrender and lack of hope. It was all he could do to keep from shivering as the realization washed over him. She had given up, he could tell. Well, he would not let her! He finally found her and he was not going to let her slip away from him._

_"I love you, Ichigo! More than anything else in the world, either world." He leaned in with those words, planting gentle kisses along her jawline and working his way to her lips. He kissed her carefully and gently again and again. Her eyes finally drifted closed, one hand slipping to cup the back of his neck to pull him closer. In the glory of her kiss he could nearly forget what he did not want to think of, her lips finally warming from the attention of his. He slowly caressed her cheek, rubbing the backs of his fingers over her smooth skin in affection. He would make her want to stay. Gently, he slipped his warm tongue past her lips, sliding it over her tongue. She was slow to respond at first but she greeted his gesture with tender stroking of her own, slipping hers slightly into his mouth as well. After a long moment, her pulled out of the kiss to trace her jaw and neck with his lips, reveling in her touch as her hands slid over his back. In this moment, he could almost believe they were back in her room._

_The distinctive sound of the door swishing open sounded behind him and he instantly jolted into the air readying to bring out his blade instinctively. His narrowed eyes widened as he stopped himself, remembering how that had gone after Ichigo had been removed from the room. The vivid memory was close enough in the past that it was still more than fresh, even still holding over a remaining ache he had ignored once he saw her. With her safely out of the vial man's sight he had tried to fight him. . . but this collar. The thought of it was enough to stir a bit of his previous rage, making his claws itch to shred the first bit of flesh that came in the door, but he knew he dared not risk it with her so close. Hovering was about all he could do anymore without the inhibitor kicking in. With her here, he could not make a move because he could not be sure he could protect her._

_Ichigo's eyes drifted to the opening door, but she gave little else as a reaction, not even responding as Duke entered carrying several folded blankets and towels and setting them unceremoniously on a table, his eyes no longer hidden behind the mask he had kept on a while before. This might have been the first time Kisshu had seen the man's face, but he knew instantly who he was, even without it. The older man cracked a smile at the two, slipping a bottle out of his pocket and tossing it at Kisshu. His reflexes were still good no matter what the collar did, so it slapped easily into his hands - His golden eyes grazed over it but he did not understand a word on it, which did not comfort him._

_"Give that to her." Duke simpered, seeming as if the events of the day had boosted his ego to the point of placating him. "It will help her a good deal"_

_"Why should I believe you? You could have put anything in this!" Kisshu snarled, but cast a glance back at the girl on the bed._

_Duke voiced what Kisshu was already thinking, almost as if he read his mind, "Do you have a choice?" They both knew the answer to that so he simply continued, "I brought you some blankets and even some towels since you will be staying here for a while, our agreed time, that is." His blue eyes traveled between the two youths, "I'm being generous, so do not forget my terms."_

_"I won't." Kisshu replied, face drawn but relatively emotionless as was his voice. "Just do not forget your side either!"_

_Duke chuckled dryly, "Of course! I always keep my promises, as long as my rules are followed." He turned to exit the room, his dark hair swaying down his back, "I brought the towels since you'll want to wash that blood off her. The door to the right is the bathroom."_

_Nothing more was said between the two, there was no need. There had been more than enough talk before he had been allowed to come to Ichigo. He had been forced to promise the moon to the tyrant before he was allowed to come to her. Grudgingly, he knew well enough that he would have no choice but to obey as long as his lover was a captive. The fact was, it did not matter what he had to do - As long as it was for Ichigo, he just could not bring himself to care. He needed her, needed her safe, and could never live himself without her. He would have agreed to even more than what he had if it meant he could be with her. As long as she was safe, he would kill every human on this planet, he had almost done that once before, so why would it matter now? His hate for that man was not enough to even touch his love for her._

_Slowly, he turned back to face her and look into her tired but confused eyes. He could not tell her about the promises he had made, not yet. She would hardly approve of them but he just did not care. Besides, he had a limited time he could be with her here so he did not wish to wait it arguing. They were both finished unless he did as he was told, and now that he had her back, he would never let her go, not for anything. He had no choice but to be their slave, at least for now. Duke was right though, he did need to get Ichigo cleaned up. He might have a better idea about her injuries if he cleaned away some of that blood. His feet hit the floor and he slowly moved to hover over her, a forced smile plastered over his face before he leaned in to kiss her softly. He could see the second he pulled away that she was going to spring questions on him so he swallowed her in his kisses until he felt sure he had won._

_Scooping her up into his arms, he shifted her to let her cuddle close against his chest. He could never deny that it felt so very good to hold her against him no matter what else might be going on in the world. Anything was worth this closeness, the only thing that made his world feel right. His obsession with her had never faded, that was one thing Duke had gotten right about him. The way her head fit snugly under his chin, the way her bodies curves fit his, she was made for him. He loved her a bit too much and he knew that, but he did not care. He would destroy everything on this earth for her if ordered to. Duke explained a lot to him, and he was inclined to listen. What were a few weak humans compared to Ichigo's life anyway? If Duke wanted to rule the world, and wanted him to help him, why should he fight it? He had already served one master set on the same thing, and this time he had a real reason to follow a new one - Ichigo, always Ichigo._

**AN: I know, I have not been updating like I should. It's no excuse but my life has been very meh lately and it just has been killing off my drive and inspiration. If this chapter is horrible, that's why. Very sorry! I hope it doesn't suck too badly!**

**I'll be perfectly honest, the only reason you all got this update was because of those sweet notes. You guys encourage me and gave me enough pokes to keep moving with this. I have not been answering them lately, but I have read them, I really have! The update is fully owed to those! Thank you for the kind word everyone that reads this! **


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